Do you pronounce the vowels in ''father'' and ''bother'' the same or differently? For me, they're definitely same and I used to think all Americans pronounced them with the same vowels.
The vowels in ''father'' and ''bother''?
They're different for me.
father - [fAD@`]
bother - [bQD@`]
This distinction is common here in Eastern New England, but elsewhere in North America they're almost always merged.
father - [fAD@`]
bother - [bQD@`]
This distinction is common here in Eastern New England, but elsewhere in North America they're almost always merged.
In standard English the same vowel is used for both words, a low back unrounded vowel.
>>In standard English the same vowel is used for both words, a low back unrounded vowel.<<
You must mean standard "North American" English, right?
You must mean standard "North American" English, right?
<<You must mean standard "North American" English, right?>>
Yes, that's what he meant. The father-bother merger is pretty much nonexistent outside of North America.
In English English:
father - [fAD@]
bother - [bQD@]
In Australian English:
father - [fa:D@]
bother - [bOD@]
Yes, that's what he meant. The father-bother merger is pretty much nonexistent outside of North America.
In English English:
father - [fAD@]
bother - [bQD@]
In Australian English:
father - [fa:D@]
bother - [bOD@]
In standard Mxsmanic-English the same vowel is used for both words, a low back unrounded vowel.
<<In standard Mxsmanic-English the same vowel is used for both words, a low back unrounded vowel.>>
Good one! As for me, I don't have the same vowel for both.
In my accent:
father - /fA@D@`/
bother - /bAD@`/
Good one! As for me, I don't have the same vowel for both.
In my accent:
father - /fA@D@`/
bother - /bAD@`/
<<In my accent:
father - /fA@D@`/
bother - /bAD@`/>>
That's interesting. I've heard of the father-bother distinction being preserved in New Jersey, but not in New York.
father - /fA@D@`/
bother - /bAD@`/>>
That's interesting. I've heard of the father-bother distinction being preserved in New Jersey, but not in New York.
In RP "father" takes the "bath" (or "palm" vowel) - namely broad 'a', just like In GenAm (except that in RP the broad 'a' has a slightly more open quality - it's slightly broader that is). "Bother", on the other hand, takes the "lot" vowel RP (which sounds more like a short 'o' sound that an 'ah' sound. In addition, both words are rhotic in GA but non-rhotic in RP. They are also non-rhotic in most other English accents and in some American accents, but where RP leaves a trace of an 'r' sound at the end, other accents, like Cockney or Brooklynese make the last syllable sound like 'ah' or 'uh', thus making the words sound as if they were spelled "botha" or "fatha".
"but where RP leaves a trace of an 'r' sound at the end"
RP leaves no trace of an 'r' sound since it is non-rhotic.
RP leaves no trace of an 'r' sound since it is non-rhotic.
<<RP leaves no trace of an 'r' sound since it is non-rhotic.>>
Right. The only time RP has [r] in words like "father" or "bother" is when the following word starts with a vowel. The underlying representations of RP ["fA:D@] and ["bQD@] are /fAD@r/ and /bQD@r/, respectively. So, here are the following utterances in RP:
"My father is nice"
[maI "fA:D@r\ I:z naIs]
"My father cooks well"
[maI "fA:D@ k_hUks wE5]
There is no trace of /r/ in the second example--it simply doesn't show up on the phomemic level in that particular phonological environment.
Right. The only time RP has [r] in words like "father" or "bother" is when the following word starts with a vowel. The underlying representations of RP ["fA:D@] and ["bQD@] are /fAD@r/ and /bQD@r/, respectively. So, here are the following utterances in RP:
"My father is nice"
[maI "fA:D@r\ I:z naIs]
"My father cooks well"
[maI "fA:D@ k_hUks wE5]
There is no trace of /r/ in the second example--it simply doesn't show up on the phomemic level in that particular phonological environment.