- Th-debuccalization
Th-debuccalization is a process that occurs in many varieties of
Scottish English where IPA|/θ/ becomes IPA|/h/ word initially and intervocalically.Th-debuccalization occurs mainly in
Glasgow and more generally occurs across theCentral Belt . According to Johnston, this feature is becoming more common in these places over time, but is still variable. In word final position, IPA|/θ/ is used, as in standard English.The existence of local IPA|/h/ for IPA|/θ/ in Glasgow complicated the process of
th-fronting there, a process which gives IPA|/f/ for historical IPA|/θ/. Unlike in the other dialects with th-fronting, where IPA|/f/ solely competes with IPA|/θ/, in Glasgow, the introduction of th-fronting there creates a three-way variant system of IPA|/h/, IPA|/f/ and IPA|/θ/.The IPA|/θ/ variant is typical of local educated norms (theregional standard), while the use of IPA|/h/ and IPA|/f/ in place of standard English IPA|/θ/ mark the local non-standard norms. IPA|/h/ is well-known in Glasgow as a vernacular variant of IPA|/θ/ when it occurs word initially and intervocalically, while IPA|/f/ has only recently risen above the level of social consciousness.
Given that th-fronting is a relatively recent innovation in Glasgow, hence it was expected that linguists might find evidence for lexical diffusion for IPA|/f/ and the results found from Glasgow speakers confirm this. The existing and particular lexical distribution of th-debuccalization imposes special constraints on the progress of th-fronting in Glasgow.
In accents with th-debuccalization, the cluster IPA|/θr/ becomes IPA|/hr/ giving these dialects a consonant cluster that doesn't occur in other dialects. The replacement of IPA|/θr/ with IPA|/hr/ leads to pronunciations like:
* three - IPA|/hri/
* throw - IPA|/hro/
* through - IPA|/hru/
* thrash - IPA|/hræʃ/
* thresh - IPA|/hrɛʃ/
* threw - IPA|/hru/
* thrown - IPA|/hron/
* thread - IPA|/hrɛd/
* threat - IPA|/hrɛt/
* throne - IPA|/hron/See also
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