"Alma"

Gabriel   Fri May 25, 2007 10:41 pm GMT
What vowel do you have in the first syllable of "Alma"? [A], [{], or something else? LPD gives only /"{lm @/ but I think I've heard ["A:5m@] or even ["Q:5m@] from NA native speakers.
Travis   Fri May 25, 2007 10:44 pm GMT
I myself pronounce "alma mater" as ["Q:U~m@:"ma4R=:], if that is what you mean by "Alma" here.
Gabriel   Fri May 25, 2007 10:48 pm GMT
I was actually thinking of the word used as a proper name (I think especially in foreigners, but an American girl happens to have this as a first name in my workplace).
Lazar   Fri May 25, 2007 10:49 pm GMT
I pronounce "alma mater" as ["A:5m@ "mA:4@`].
Guest   Sat May 26, 2007 1:34 am GMT
Who's Alma... is she hot?
Sarcastic Northwesterner   Sat May 26, 2007 1:56 am GMT
/Alm@/. Finally something we can all agree on.