Lot-cloth split

Josh Lalonde   Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:05 pm GMT
To what extent does the split still occur outside the US? The OED only lists the LOT vowel for words like 'moss', 'cloth'; do they occur in any RP speakers or any non-standard varieties?
Also, Wikipedia says that the split first applied lengthening to the CLOTH vowel, and only merged with THOUGHT later on. Are there any accents that make a three-way distinction between LOT, CLOTH, and THOUGHT?
Lazar   Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:11 pm GMT
From what I've read, the lot-cloth split is nearly extinct in England. I think there, it's associated with very old fashioned aristocratic speech. (For example, I've read that the late Queen Mother had the lot-cloth split.)
Josh Lalonde   Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:37 am GMT
Sorry, I realize that I phrased my first question above badly. Let's try again: does anyone from outside the US rhyme 'cross' with 'sauce'?