A phonetic analysis of back vowel raising in Dublin English

1. ABSTRACT This study uses acoustic phonetic techniques to verify reports of back vowel raising in Dublin English and re-interpret those changes. Hickey [9] describes the raising of a series of back vowels as characteristic of a new variety of Dublin English. He interprets this raising as a shift away from the open realisations of vernacular forms of Dublin English. This study confirms the presence of a broad pattern of back vowel raising between two generations of Dubliners, observing NORTH raising along with social stratification of THOUGHT that does not appear to be a recent development. The results suggest, however, that inner city Dubliners are participating in NORTH raising, and that the STRUT/FOOT contrast is being lost among middleclass Dubliners. These developments weaken the argument that ongoing change constitutes divergence from vernacular forms of Dublin English, suggesting instead a broader reconfiguration of the vowel systems of Dublin English.