Canadian raising
Canadian raising is a phonetic phenomenon that occurs in varities of the English language, especially Canadian English, in which diphthongs are "raised" before voiceless consonants (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/, /s/, /f/). For example, /aI/ (the vowel of "eye") and /aU/ (the vowel of "loud") become /^I/ and /^U/, respectively, the /a/ (as in "father") component of the diphthong going from a low vowel to the mid vowel /^/ (as in "up"). As /^U/ sounds similar to /oU/ (as in "road), the Canadian pronunciation of "about the house" may sound like *"a boat the hoas" to non-Canadians. Some stand-up and situation comedians exaggerate this to *"aboot the hoos" for comic effect.Despite its name, the phenomenon isn't restricted to Canada. The example above deals with the /aU/ diphthong, but, as noted, the /aI/ diphthong can be affected as well. So, whereas the General American pronunciations of "rider" and "writer" are identical (/raId@r/), those whose dialects include Canadian raising will pronounce them as /raId@r/ and /r^Id@r/, respectively. It is this raising of /aI/ which can be found in the United States, especially in the Pacific Northwest.
External links
- Canadian Raising and Other Oddities (http://www.yorku.ca/twainweb/troberts/raising.html) with audio files
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snarled, "Infidel--Nazarene!" with contempt and hatred, the significance
the Palace, thoughtfully weighing the circumstances, and was met by
Excellency."
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expression, but the eyes were furtively eager and sinister.
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of words ere they were spoken. Mizraim's hand touched his forehead, his
fingers, he began the story he had come to tell.
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pleasure at the interruption. Nahoum was impatient, anxious; that made
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and the Cadi, all scatter smouldering fires. There is a spirit in the
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to serve thee."
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thing to say--say it, and see if Nahoum hath lost his wit, or hath a
scourge heavier than the whip of the horned horse? Ki di, so it is.
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