THE SOCIAL EVALUATION OF POST-VOCALIC LIGHT /L/ IN ST. JOHN'S ENGLISH

Abstract

This study addresses the question of perception and evaluation of light post-vocalic /l/ in St. John's through a series of perception experiments. These experiments test whether people are able to hear the difference between post-vocalic light and dark /l/, whether they identify this difference as being a characteristic of Newfoundland or St. John's English, and finally, whether they ascribe any kind of stigma or prestige to the difference.