Bajan English

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Barbadian or Bajan English (/ˈbeɪdʒən/ BAY-jən) is a dialect of the English language as used by Barbadians (Bajans) and by Barbadian diasporas.

Pronunciation

Barbadian English is fully rhotic and full of glottal stops. One example of Barbadian English would be the pronunciation of departments, which is [dɪˈpaːɹʔmənʔs]. It is also notable, in comparison with standard American or British English, for the first vowel in price or prize.

• The realization of the KIT vowel /ɪ/ in Barbadian English is pretty much the same as in American English, the default [ɪ].
• The DRESS vowel /ɛ/ is [ɛ].
• The TRAP vowel /æ/ is usually [a].
• The LOT vowel /ɒ/ is usually [ɑ] or [ɒ].
• The STRUT vowel /ʌ/ is the same as in the US English, [ʌ].
• The FOOT vowel /ʊ/ is [ʊ].
• The FLEECE vowel /iː/ is [iː]. HAPPY is best identified as an allophone of this phoneme, thus /ˈhapiː/.
• The FACE diphthong /eɪ/ varies by region and education/class: it manifests in educated speech generally as [eː] or sometimes [eɪ], and in rural and uneducated speech as the vowel [ɛ].
• The PALM vowel /ɑː/ is mostly [aː]. The BATH diaphoneme is mostly to be identified with this vowel (see trap-bath split)
• The THOUGHT vowel /ɔː/ is [ɑː] or [ɒː].
• The GOAT diphthong /oʊ/ is generally [oː] or [oə].
• The NEAR /ɪər/ and SQUARE /ɛər/ sequences are both [eːɹ], resulting in the near-square merger.
• The START sequence /ɑːr/ is [aːɹ].
• The NORTH sequence /ɔːr/ is usually [ɑːɹ] or [ɒːɹ].
• The FORCE sequence /ɔːr/ and the CURE sequence /ʊər/ are both usually [oːɹ].
• The NURSE vowel /ɜːr/ is [ɤ].
• The GOOSE vowel /uː/ is mostly [uː].
• The PRICE diphthong /aɪ/ is generally [ʌɪ].
• The CHOICE diphthong /ɔɪ/ is either [ʌɪ] or [oɪ].
• The MOUTH diphthong /aʊ/ is [ʌʊ].
• The final LETTER vowel /ər/ is [ɤ].
• The final HORSES vowel /ɪ/ is [ɪ].
• The final COMMA vowel /ə/ is [ə].
• The TRAP and LOT vowels are not merged in Barbadian English. However the vowels of LOT, CLOTH, and THOUGHT are generally merged.

See also

• Barbados

References

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