This paper describes an analysis of the Eastern New England dialect with concentration on the features of non-rhoticity and broad a. It examines the results by comparing the speakers’ levels of non-rhoticity and broad a to the factor of their gender.
On the one hand, I decided to examine the features of non-rhoticity and broad a, because these features are most prominent for this particular dialect of American English. “Two major New England shibboleths are the “dropping” of post-vocalic r(as in [ka:] car and [ba:n] barn) and the low central vowel [ɑː] in the BATH class,
words like aunt and glass.” (Carver, 1987: 21)
On the other hand, I have recognized that there is a lack of examination of the mentioned features especially with regard to the speakers’ gender and if these results would be conform with the sociolinguistic statement of women showing a stronger
tendency towards standard or prestige variants in their speech communities. (Schönweitz, 2001: 2)
As the basis of this analysis I decided to use speech data of the two main characters of the American television series Family Guy, which is known for being presented in the typical Eastern New England (ENE) dialect.
The structure of my paper is divided into the following sections: an overview of the topic as well as the two features under examination, a description of the methodology used in this study and a section of the results which will take a look at my findings. Afterwards, a conclusion follows with implications on further research.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 DEFINING THE LINGUISTIC VARIABLES
1.1.1 NON-RHOTICITY
1.1.2 BROAD A
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 SAMPLE
2.2 CODING AND ANALYSIS
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 NON-RHOTICITY
3.2 BROAD A
4. CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Scope
This paper investigates the sociolinguistic usage of non-rhoticity and the "broad a" vowel within the Eastern New England dialect. By analyzing speech data from the main characters of the animated series Family Guy, the research aims to determine whether gender-based differences in the application of these linguistic features align with established sociolinguistic theories regarding linguistic innovation and prestige variants.
- Analysis of non-rhoticity as a core feature of the Eastern New England dialect.
- Examination of the "broad a" (trap-bath vowel split) usage.
- Correlation of linguistic feature frequency with speaker gender.
- Evaluation of media-based speech as a reflection of real-world dialectal shifts.
- Assessment of the decline of traditional dialectal markers in modern American English.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1.1 Non-rhoticity
Rhoticity is a term which refers to the pronunciation of /r/ in a post-vocalic environment. Consequently, a speaker of a non-rhotic dialect pronounces the /r/ only if it is followed by a vowel sound. Since the term post-vocalic /r/ can be misleading, yet not all /r/s followed by a vowel are excluded, linguists also use the term non-prevocalic /r/ which refers to the same feature.
In many non-rhotic dialects the phonological phenomenon of linking r is implied as well. Linking r occurs when a word that ends with /r/ is followed by a word that begins with a vowel. In this case the /r/ is pronounced at the onset of the following word. In my analysis I abstracted away from the linking r feature and concentrated on the phenomenon of the pronunciation of post-vocalic r.
Non-rhoticity is shown in sentences like:
a. I was teaching her to drive and she lost control over the car. (Peter)
b. I spend all morning on a boat with my friends, drinking beer. (Peter)
c. Let’s get out of here! (Peter)
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the research focus on non-rhoticity and broad a, establishing the sociolinguistic context and the selection of Family Guy as the data source.
1.1 DEFINING THE LINGUISTIC VARIABLES: Provides the theoretical foundation by defining the linguistic characteristics of non-rhoticity and the broad a vowel.
2. METHODOLOGY: Describes the study design, the selection of the character sample from the series, and the approach used to code and analyze the speech data.
2.1 SAMPLE: Details the choice of Peter and Lois Griffin from Family Guy and explains their background as speakers of the Eastern New England dialect.
2.2 CODING AND ANALYSIS: Explains the process of comparing unofficial transcripts to actual audio data to quantify the occurrences of the specific dialectal features.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Presents the findings of the quantitative analysis and discusses the differences observed between the male and female speakers.
3.1 NON-RHOTICITY: Analyzes the frequency of r-dropping, highlighting the higher usage of the non-rhotic variant by the female speaker compared to the male.
3.2 BROAD A: Examines the usage of the broad a feature, finding it to be rare in both speakers, with the male character utilizing it slightly more often than the female.
4. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the results and addresses the initial research questions, acknowledging the limitations of the sample size and suggesting directions for future research.
Keywords
Non-rhoticity, Broad a, Eastern New England dialect, Sociolinguistics, Gender differences, R-dropping, Trap-bath vowel split, Linguistic innovation, Phonology, American English, Family Guy, Dialectal decline, Speech analysis, Post-vocalic r, Prestige variants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research paper?
The paper aims to analyze whether gender influences the usage of the two most prominent features of the Eastern New England dialect: non-rhoticity and the "broad a" vowel.
Which dialectal features are at the center of this study?
The study focuses on non-rhoticity (the omission of post-vocalic /r/) and the "broad a" (the low central vowel /ɑː/ found in the BATH class).
What methodology was employed to gather linguistic data?
The author utilized speech data from the first season of the animated series Family Guy, specifically analyzing the dialogue of the two main characters, Peter and Lois Griffin.
How is the term "non-rhoticity" defined in the study?
Non-rhoticity refers to the pronunciation of /r/ only when it is followed by a vowel sound, effectively "dropping" the /r/ in post-vocalic positions.
What did the results reveal about gender-based usage of these features?
The findings indicated that the female speaker used the non-rhotic variant significantly more than the male speaker, while the broad a feature was used infrequently by both, appearing slightly more often in the male's speech.
Does the study confirm traditional sociolinguistic hypotheses?
The study provides partial results but notes that it is difficult to confirm broad sociolinguistic hypotheses due to the limited sample size of only two speakers.
Why was the series Family Guy chosen for this linguistic analysis?
The show is well-known for featuring the Eastern New England dialect, and its main characters are voiced by actors who have personal experience with that specific regional dialect.
What is "linking r" and why was it excluded from the analysis?
Linking r is the pronunciation of an /r/ when a word ends in /r/ and the next word begins with a vowel. The author excluded this to focus strictly on the phenomenon of post-vocalic r-dropping.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding the decline of these dialectal features?
The author concludes that while both features are expected to be in decline, the broad a feature appears to be vanishing more rapidly than non-rhoticity in the studied speakers.
What limitation does the author explicitly acknowledge?
The author acknowledges that the study relies on a very small sample size of only one male and one female, making it impossible to draw definitive, statistically significant conclusions about gender differences in the entire population.
- Citation du texte
- M. A. Alisa Westermann (Auteur), 2009, Non-rhoticity and broad a in the Eastern New England dialect – a gender thing?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/173347
