Keywords

prevelar vowel raising before /g/, BAG and BEG lexical sets, independent raising patterns, lexical variation in prevelar environments, apparent-time Southern vowel shifts

Abstract

Conditioned raising of TRAP and DRESS before /g/.

BAG (~84 lexemes*)

flag, magnet, rag, flag, coagulate, antagonist, snag, tag, fragment, jagged, lag, shaggy, brag, scraggy, wag, stagnant, nag, gag, wagon, drag, dragon, agony, sag, zigzag, aggregate, scallywag, magnificent, haggle, octagonal, straggle, pragmatic, haggard, Pythagorean, Baghdad, aggravate…

BEG (~60 lexemes*) Regulate, leg, negative, egg, megaphone, pregnant, negligent, segregate, Greg, peg, segment, renege, tegument, keg, regnant, legate, stegosaur, interregnum, dregs, Megan, segue, JPEG, legacy, nutmeg, regolith, Regulus, omega, oregano, integrity, allegro, Pegasus, eglantine, telegraphy…

VAGUE (~16 lexemes*) bagel, fragrant, flagrant, plague, vague, vagrant, rutabaga, bodega, Prego, the Hague, Copenhagen, Reagen, San Diego, Las Vegas, Trinadad and Tobago, Winnebago…

BEG- and BAG-raising are independent.

Prevelar raising is more widespread than reported thus far.

Original Publication Citation

Joseph A. Stanley. “Are beg and bag-raising distinct? Regional patterns in prevelar raising in North American English.” American Dialect Society Annual Meeting. New York City, NY. January 3–6, 2019