Consonants t, k, g

In many BrE dialects including LonVE, syllable-final and word-medial /t/ are often subject to glottal substitution, glottal reinforcement, and other forms of glottalisation. This highly salient and stigmatized vernacular feature is not noticeable in JamC, but occurs regularly in BrC and is assimilated even by Caribbean-born adult migrants.

Straw (2001) examines glottal features in the Suffolk town of Ipswich, in the English of Caribbean-born speakers from Jamaica, Nevis and Barbados (it occurs natively in the last, uniquely in the West Indies [Roberts 1988], but in a pattern different from EngE). She finds different frequencies and environmental constraints among them, and between the accents of Caribbean and white Ipswich residents. Analyzing spectrograms, Straw and Patrick (forthcoming) observe that the Barbadians partly exhibit general configurations allegedly diffusing across England, partly resemble white Ipswich speakers (in a departure from known patterns of glottalisation elsewhere), and partly show distinctive features which may reflect IslC usage. Only the youngest Barbadian immigrants may have acquired local Ipswich patterns. T-glottalling is thus a candidate not only for incorporation into BrC, but also for phonological diversity within its varieties, and possibly for helping to distinguish a new ethnic dialect of BrE.

Palatalization of JamC /k, g/ and insertion of /j/ glides is studied in Patrick (1995) and Beckford Wassink (1999); nothing different has emerged in BrC. Initial consonant clusters, especially /sCC/, e.g. spring, strong, are more likely in BrC than JamC.