Last night on Do you speak American?, one 'expert' raised the idea of a new vowel shift that is occuring in american english. (i have already posted a limerick about it, but since everyone seems to be avoiding my limerick thread, you might have missed it)

In one of the parts (large parts, but did miss some of the show, (3 hours long, 3 episodes glommed together) there is a new vowel shift discussed.

first they played a word bla(h)k-- it was a sort of nasal sounding black. then they played the whole recorded sentence, and the word in context..

The whole bla(h)ck was filled with building of this kind...

next word,
Bosses.. again, a bit nasal but clearly the guys in charge at work...

but in context, it became:
all of the bosses run on a schedule, but they are often late, and the boss stops have long lines of people waiting..

the O sound of block, has softened to an A, and the U of bus, sounds more like an O.
(and then the phone rang again, and i really wanted to answer it, --the show will be repeated)

well i hope
1--other cities will be broadcasting the show
2--others will be interested in discussing this news (and other ideas presented!)

and maybe we can keep our ears open for new evidence of other examples of the great (NEW) vowel shift.


my other obsession