Stressed vowels PRICE, CHOICE, MOUSE

Common to these three groups is a very close final element in the diphthong: [i] in PRICE and CHOICE, [u] in MOUSE. The first element in PRICE and MOUSE tends also to be very open: [a]. There is, however, a major counter-tendency in PRICE and MOUSE, that is, for a central [ə] to be used as the first element. Indeed, Wells (1982: 385) talks tentatively of the possibility of a phonemic distinction between [ai] and [əi] , and between [au] and [əu] , although this does seem unlikely. SAWD data shows a pretty clear regional distribution, with  and [əu] restricted to the main southern, especially south-eastern, areas. Tench’s (1989: 141) view is that this variation in PRICE and MOUTH diphthongs tells us something about the chronology of English spoken in Wales: diphthongs with central first elements indicate areas where English was spoken relatively early, while diphthongs with open first elements indicate the more recent arrival of English.