Re: [tied] Oddity of English

Andrew Jarrette wrote:

> -- I am just wondering why it seems that you didn't read the later
> parts of my message, where I talk about /ae/ being /E&/ or /I&/
> before nasals only in the majority of North American speech, and
> being /a/ elsewhere in Canada (and being /a/ everywhere in parts of
> England and Canada), but being a more raised vowel elsewhere in the
> US.

Well, I was responding to Brian's posting, not directly to yours. By the
way, the "meowing" development of /æ/ is common not only before nasals,
but also before /s, f, þ/ (<class, pass, staff, giraffe, laughter, path,
half, last, etc.), and in the adjectives <bad>, <sad> and <mad>; in New
York City also before any voiced stop or affricate, and before /S/ (as
in <cash>).

Piotr