From the point of view of a continental standard, Canadian English exhibits remarkable phonetic patterns. This term paper demonstrates the development and change of the phoneme /w/ in Canadian English following the research by Chambers. This paper will begin by taking a quick look at the historical development of the phoneme. The phoneme /w/ has several realizations in various dialects of English. Canada is one of the countries where the allophone [hw] has been rather persistent. Nevertheless, /hw/-pronunciation has been disappearing there over the years. I try to indicate how the phoneme is changing recently illustrating this with case studies whenever possible. The age, social classes of subjects as well as the regions of Canada are especially relevant for the given description.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Historical development of phoneme [w]
3. Change in progress
4. Age and variations
5. Regional variations
6. Social embedding of variation and change
7. The reasons for the change
8. The future of the phoneme /hw/
9. Development of a Continental standard
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper examines the diachronic development and phonetic change of the phoneme /w/ within Canadian English. It investigates how the preaspirated allophone [hw] has been gradually replaced by the plain voiced /w/, analyzing this shift through the lenses of social embedding, age-related variation, and regional patterns to determine if the change reflects a broader North American standard or internal developments.
- Historical evolution of the /w/ and /hw/ phonemes from Germanic roots.
- Sociolinguistic analysis of language change in progress across different age cohorts.
- Regional distribution of phonetic shifts in Canadian urban and rural areas.
- The impact of social correlates and prestige on linguistic variation.
- Evaluation of the influence of American English versus national development in Canada.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Change in progress
We may find that English spelling of the words whales and Wales, wheel and weal, whey and way, Whig and wig, whinny and Winnie etc. preserves a distinctions in pronunciation.
Some time ago, the first word in each pair was pronounced with /hw/ - preaspirated labiodental-velar approximant, the second – with /w/ - voiced, unaspirated labiodental-velar approximant (Chambers 1998: 25). However, nowadays these pairs are homophones for most Canadians. Chambers agues that this can be explained by the fact that the phoneme /hw/ occurs only initially. He writes: “it is only preaspirate and the only (partly) devoiced approximant” (Chambers 1998: 25). Therefore, from the phonological viewpoint, the phoneme /hw/ appears odd in English and it is disappearing, especially in the last few decades. There are social and linguistic consequences for this change.
Fugure 1 illustrates a change of /w/ in progress. The diagonal thrust shows incremental increases in the use of a phoneme /w/ instead of /hw/ from older to younger people. The development has three stages: initial stasis, rapide rise, and tailing off. The first stage is the most static. We can assume that it was a time when /wh/ was quite stable and more frequent. Nevertheless, this stage seems to be disrupted by the first shaking of change. The people under 60 tend to merge the phonemes /hw/ and /w/ into the latter one. The trajectory of the change rises fast. It takes about 10 percent of the population every ten years. In the tailing off position the change is almost stable again. About 90,6 percent of teenagers do not use /wh/ variant at all.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on the phonetic shift of /w/ in Canadian English and the underlying principle that language variability is inherent to change.
2. Historical development of phoneme [w]: Traces the origins of the phoneme from Proto-Indo-European through Germanic and Middle English, highlighting the historical contrast between preaspirated and voiced forms.
3. Change in progress: Describes the ongoing merger of /hw/ and /w/ in modern Canadian English and identifies the three stages of this diachronic shift.
4. Age and variations: Examines how age serves as a primary social correlate for linguistic variation, confirming that younger generations increasingly favor the plain /w/ variant.
5. Regional variations: Analyzes the phonetic change across four specific Canadian regions, determining that the shift is a national rather than a regional phenomenon.
6. Social embedding of variation and change: Discusses how social relationships and peer-group similarities facilitate the transmission of linguistic changes across generations.
7. The reasons for the change: Investigates sociolinguistic factors, such as the loss of British prestige and the role of postwar social developments, in driving the phonetic shift.
8. The future of the phoneme /hw/: Predicts the eventual extinction of the /hw/ phoneme in Canadian English as the system moves toward a more integrated phonetic standard.
9. Development of a Continental standard: Challenges the assumption that Canadian English is simply Americanizing, proposing instead that changes reflect a broader North American standard.
Keywords
Canadian English, phoneme, /w/, /hw/, linguistic change, language variation, sociolinguistics, preaspiration, apparent time, social embedding, continental standard, phonetic shift, historical linguistics, Americanization, age cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the diachronic development and phonetic change of the phoneme /w/ in Canadian English, specifically the loss of the preaspirated allophone [hw].
What are the primary themes addressed in the work?
The work covers historical phonology, the role of age in language change, regional differences across Canada, and the social factors influencing linguistic standardizing.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The goal is to demonstrate how the phoneme /w/ has changed over time in Canada and to identify whether these shifts are a result of internal development or external influence from American English.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study relies on sociolinguistic analysis of survey data, comparing age cohorts and regional speech patterns, supported by historical linguistic records and existing theories such as the "defuse route theory".
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body examines the historical background of the phoneme, empirical data on "change in progress" via case studies, and the social and regional embedding of these sound changes.
Which keywords define this publication?
Key terms include Canadian English, /w/ and /hw/ phonemes, linguistic change, sociolinguistics, and continental standard.
How does the author explain the "gradualness" of the phonetic shift?
The author notes that the initial stage of the change already possessed high variability, allowing the subsequent acceleration toward completion to occur over a relatively short period.
Does the author conclude that Canadian English is merely adopting an American standard?
No, the author argues against the idea of simple Americanization, suggesting that while changes are occurring, various North American varieties retain unique, persistent features.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Yana Lobunez (Author), 2008, The development and change of the phoneme /w/ in Canadian English , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/125565
