Vowels lettER

The BCDP data suggest that this is typically [ə], with a marked tendency towards lowering to ; /r/ usually reappears in linking positions.

Chinn and Thorne (2001: 20–21) maintain that Bm speakers’ realization here is typically “a”-like (), e.g. in mother, computer, water, Christopher, mitre, doctor, razor, sugar, pillar, picture, mixture, sulphur, color, amateur. Hughes and Trudgill (1996: 55) have WM [ə], but for Mathisen (1999: 110) this vowel is often /ε/. Painter (1963: 30–31) has BC /ə/, realized as (following close/halfclose vowel versus open/half-open vowel respectively).