English World-Wide - Volume 42, Issue 2, 2021

Abstract

The present study investigates rhotics in Standard Scottish English (SSE). Drawing on an auditory analysis of formal speeches given in the Scottish parliament by 49 speakers (members of parliament and the general public), it examines whether an underlying rhotic standard exists for SSE speakers from all over Scotland, whether and where rhotics are realized as trills/taps or approximants, and what factors influence variation in the realization and distribution of rhotics. The results show that SSE is variably rhotic, with 54% of all non-linking coda /r/ realized, and that trills/taps are more frequent in intervocalic (onset and linking coda) position. The findings contradict the idea of SSE being generally rhotic but rather confirm previous reports of increasing occurrence of non-rhoticity, not just by specific speaker groups, but also in a formal context. They further show that variation in rhotics in SSE foremost tends to be affected by language-internal than language-external factors.

Abstract

This article investigates the speech of adolescents who have moved directly from Poland to Glasgow, using data from a range of social contexts and comparing their speech to that of their locally-born peer-group. Focusing on the acquisition of word-medial glottal replacement, I find that the Polish participants have replicated one of the constraints shown by their locally-born peers (number of syllables), have come close to replicating another (following segment), and have three which are not significant for the Glaswegians: lexical frequency, preceding segment and speech context. The emergence of the speech context constraint for the Polish group (and not for the Glaswegians) is a novel finding, and sheds light on how learners come to understand and negotiate style in the L2. I suggest that as they are going through the acquisition process, the Polish group use speech context as an interpretive framework around which they structure their stylistic variation.

Abstract

Language attitude research is crucial for a deeper understanding of New Englishes. However, the most common attitude research methods often cause problems when applied to New Englishes contexts. We discuss the benefits and challenges of different methods used in two attitude studies on the perception of linguistic variation in Jamaica and Trinidad. Five major issues arise out of the discussion: the careful consideration of abstract labels, the need for contextualized research and authentic source material, the limited view of written data collection with closed questions, the crucial role of the researcher, and the opportunities of mixed-methods research. These conclusions are particularly relevant for research on New Englishes but also for language attitude research in general.

Abstract

This paper focuses on a phenomenon known as pre-aspiration, defined as a period of glottal friction found in the sequences of sonorants and phonetically voiceless obstruents, as in hit [hɪ^ht], hat [hæ^ht], hiss [hɪ^hs], and cash [kæ^hʃ]. Pre-aspiration has been reported in North American English (Clayards and Knowles 2015); however, there are no systematic studies of pre-aspiration in this part of the English-speaking world. Our study therefore considers the following main questions. 1. Is pre-aspiration present in American English and how frequent is it? 2. Does it vary by region? We also map variation related to speaking task, sex, and a range of language-internal factors. Our analyses of data from the Nationwide Speech Project Corpus (Clopper and Pisoni 2006) confirm that pre-aspiration is a feature of American English, with rates of application reaching between 0–20 percent, depending on the region and the task. Furthermore, the more formal the task, the higher the rate of pre-aspiration application.

This article reviews Simplicity and Typological Effects in the Emergence of New Englishes: The Noun Phrase in Singaporean and Kenyan EnglishEUR 99.959783110516593

This article reviews Children’s English in Singapore: Acquisition, Properties, and UseEUR 132.309781138708877

This article reviews Borrowing: Loanwords in the Speech Community and in the Grammar£ 71.009780190256388