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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Canadian accents (/aw/ & /ay/)
Message-ID: <770@spar.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 04:42:08 EST
Article-I.D.: spar.770
Posted: Mon Jan 13 04:42:08 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 14-Jan-86 06:14:49 EST
References: <2487@amdahl.UUCP> <8275@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Distribution: net
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 30

>When a Canadian pronounces "ou" followed by an unvoiced consonant, the
>diphthong starts with a different vowel sound.  Various speakers may use
>the "o" of "hoser", the "u" of "but", or even a stressed version of the
>normally unstressed "schwa" or neutral vowel.  When the first part of
>the "ou" diphthong is the "o" sound, the result sounds very much like
>the American long "o" -- the "Bob&Doug" pronunciation of "out", out of
>context, is almost indistinguishable from the American "oat".
>
>Something similar happens to long "i" as well.
>    Can anyone shed light as to the distribution of this regionalism?
>-- Rich Wales

    In Virginia, between Williamsburg and Petersburg "out" is frequently
    pronounced as you describe, almost like "oat", especially by those
    claiming descent from the 19th century president Tyler (a very common
    name in those parts, apparently he produced many offspring). 

    The effect of this Virginia regionalism was not unpleasant; in fact
    it could be quite elegant, almost aristocratic, in a southern fashion.

    As in Canadian, "i" of "kite" was not so noticeably peculiar.

    Another topic: why is it "Canadian"? After all, that would imply
    that the name of the country is "Canadia"! 
    
    "Canadan" is much more logical. Too late now, I suppose..

-michael