The Socio-Economic Significance of Four Phonetic Characteristics in North American English

Serie Documentos de Trabajo Document No. 459

17 Pages Posted: 8 Nov 2011

Date Written: August 1, 2011

Abstract

This paper uses a least-square regression method that relates per-capita income to four phonetic characteristics (r-dropping, and the so-called "father-bother," "cot-caught" and "pin-pen" mergers), to study the socio-economic significance of those characteristics in North American English. As a result we find a positive and statistically significant relationship between per-capita income and r-dropping, and between per-capita income and the presence of the "cot-caught" merger, and a negative and statistically significant relationship between per-capita income and the "pin-pen" merger. No statistically significant relationship is found, however, between per-capita income and the presence of a "father-bother" merger or split.

Keywords: statistical regression, phonetic characteristics, per-capita income, North American English

Suggested Citation

Coloma, German, The Socio-Economic Significance of Four Phonetic Characteristics in North American English (August 1, 2011). Serie Documentos de Trabajo Document No. 459, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1874888 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1874888

German Coloma (Contact Author)

CEMA University ( email )

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Argentina
+54 11 6314-3000 (Phone)
+54 11 4314-1654 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://https://ucema.edu.ar/german-coloma

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