Smoothing?

Josh Lalonde   Sun May 27, 2007 3:37 pm GMT
This is something I just noticed recently in my accent, and it seems to be similar to smoothing in RP and other English accents. Certain vowel sequences seem to be reduced:
saying (/e/+/I/): [seIN] near rhyming with 'rang'
going (/o/+/I/): [gOIN] rhymes with onomatopeoia 'boing'
seeing (/i/+/I/): [siN]
That's all I an think of right now, but there may be more. Also, this smoothing only occurs in casual speech when these words are not emphasized.
Josh Lalonde   Sun May 27, 2007 6:58 pm GMT
Some more examples:
trying (/AI/+/I/): [tSv/AIN]
player (/e/+/@`/): [plE@`]
tire (/AI/+/@`/): [ta@`]
tower (/aU/+/@`/): [ta@`]
Bill   Sun May 27, 2007 7:10 pm GMT
What about "mower"? I frequently pronounce that as [mo:r\] to where it sounds like "more".
Bill   Sun May 27, 2007 7:11 pm GMT
That should be [mO:r\] not [mo:r\] above.
Sarcastic Northwesterner   Sun May 27, 2007 8:51 pm GMT
It's totally different here:
saying [sejin]
going [gowin]
seeing [sijin]
trying [tr\aIn]
tire [t_haIr\=] or [t_h@Ir\=]
tower [t_haUr\=]


>>> What about "mower"? I frequently pronounce that as [mOr\] to where it sounds like "more". <<<

Yes, sometimes in rapid speech.
Josh Lalonde   Sun May 27, 2007 9:45 pm GMT
I usually pronounce them much as you do, Sarcastic Northwesterner, but the 'smoothed' variants are optional in casual speech.