Tracking the phonological status of /l/ in Newfoundland English: Experiments in articulation and acoustics

Abstract

This paper investigates patterning of /l/ in Newfoundland English. Using acoustic and ultrasound methods, the reported displacement of the traditional Irish pattern of word-final light /l/ is assessed. Acoustic results show darker /l/'s in word-final position in both phrases and compounds. Although the standard allophonic pattern is widespread in Newfoundland English, dialectal variation arising from early settlement patterns continues to influence speech patterns with less distinction between initial and final /l/ in Irish-settled areas. Men show relatively less distinction between initial and final /l/, consistent with sociolinguistic patterns in which men retain local variants. Last, light /l/ in final position may be resurfacing among younger speakers. Ultrasound imaging also shows variable rates of distinction between word-final and initial /l/, but without significant main effects of region or gender. Articulatory analysis reveals a small effect of age, with older speakers being less likely to have significant differences in articulation across positions. An interaction between region and gender shows males from an Irish-settled community are less likely to employ distinct lingual shapes across positions. While some articulatory findings complement the acoustic results, it is suggested that differences between these domains result from lateralization or other aspects of articulation not captured in ultrasound imaging.