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Isolated for six months, scientists in Antarctica began to develop their own accent (www.bbc.com)

submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

they were taking part in an unusual experiment, which involved tracking their own voices over time. This was done by making 10-minute recordings every few weeks. They would sit in front of a microphone and repeat the same 29 words as they appeared on a computer screen. Food. Coffee. Hid. Airflow.

One of those changes was the "ou" sound in words such as "flow" and "sew" that shifted towards the front of the vocal tract.

I'm not actually sure what sound change they're describing there. Can anyone explain with examples or IPA?

edit: Cheers for the answers (turns out I misunderstood which part is the vocal tract)

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago (3 children)

So how long until they've developed their own language?

[–] lurch 4 points 6 months ago

at least 7

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

The answer is 42

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

a language is a dialect with an army, when do you think antarctic researchers will start claiming independence?

[–] spacecowboy 14 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I believe it would sound like an eastern Canadian would say it. Like how house becomes hoouse?

[–] [email protected] 24 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Spend time in the cold and start developing the Canadian accent?

[–] spacecowboy 9 points 6 months ago

It does isolate people!

[–] can 2 points 6 months ago

Trying desperately to figure out how I say "house".

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago (1 children)

If it shifted forward, would that make words like know (/nō/) closer to knew (/noo͞, nyoo͞/)?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Yeah. Front is lips, back is bottom of throat

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Flow becomes more like flew

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Basically central schwa replaces /a/ in words like “house” and “about.”

(Sorry I don’t have an IPA keyboard on my phone.)