Keywords

sociophonetics, Low-Back-Merger Shift, ethnicity, Pacific Islander, teen language

Abstract

This poster reports on structural correlations between low back vowel merger/position and front lax vowel lowering/retraction (Low-Back-Merger Shift or LBMS). Based on analyses of word list recordings from two groups of Utah teens (Pacific Islanders and Euro Americans), I argue that the position of BOT affects the front vowels in the two ethnic groups differently: while the F1 of EA front vowels is inversely correlated with BOT F1, PI front vowels appear to be more sensitive to BOT F2. These results highlight the structural complexity of LBMS and the importance of recruiting ethnically diverse groups of participants for such studies.

Original Publication Citation

Johnson, L. M. (2022, January 7, 2022). Ethnic Differences in LBMS Structure American Dialect Society Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.