Constraints on the onset: /j/ and /w/

The ambiguity in JamC in assigning [t] and [d] to either /tj/ and /dj/ or /t/ and /d/ manifests itself in the process of conversion into JamE. For some JamE speakers but not others, phonetic [tj] and [dj] clusters occur. For some of these speakers, these phonetic forms are the only ones allowed in certain environments. They also occur for such speakers in [tjuu] ‘chew’ and [djunjo] ‘junior’. Such speakers, in these environments, have [tj] and [dj] allophones for the phonemes, /t/ and /d/. A second group would employ [tj] and [dj] respectively in items such as [tjuuzde] ‘Tuesday’ and [djuu] ‘dew’ whilst using the phones [t] and [d] for [tuu] ‘chew’ and [dunjo] ‘junior’. Here, the [tj] and [dj] represent syllable initial phoneme sequences, /tj/ and /dj/ which contrast with [t] and [d] as phonetic manifestations of /tj/ and /dj/. Finally, there are speakers for whom [tj] and [dj] are not employed and for whom, in both sets of items, the only forms possible are [t] and [d]. The JamE system of such speakers is like that of JamC.

In the case of /w/ in the onset, /pw/ and /bw/ vary with /p/ and /b/ in ‘oi’ and ‘oy’ words, e.g. /spwɔil/ ~ /spɔil/ ‘spoil’, /bwɔi/ ~ /bɔi/  ‘boy’. Even though the /pw/ and /bw/ clusters represent a carry-over from a JamC representation, the feature which is taken to diagnose use of JamE rather than JamC is /ɔi/. In this context, the JamC type /w/ occurs as a relatively unnoticed and redundant variant feature.