The colour of liquid: a sociophonetic analysis of the changing positional allophony of the South African English lateral approximant

This article provides a sociophonetic analysis of General South African English /l/, based on the naturalistic speech 50 male and female L1-speakers this variety (SAfE), all from Cape Town ranging 18-82 years age. Emphasis falls testing descriptions provided by impressionistic literature so-called ‘colour’ two main allophones phoneme i.e. those in initial final positions; determining whether there has been any change regard. The relevant phonetic (acoustic) focuses parameters F2 or F2-F1 (as general measures ‘colour’) co-articulatory resistance an additional parameter darkening, particularly with respect to final-/l/) determine overall status /l/ as well not acoustic difference between initial-/l/ final-/l/ meets criteria Recasens (2012) for extrinsic allophony. These also constitute dependent variables statistical which determines relative effect one internal (positional allophony) external (age gender) independent these parameters. results provide evidence suggest that pronouncements are incorrect. While darkening /l/-colour apparent time, SAfE is consistently relatively dark kind, case Australasian varieties English, closest relatives SAfE. Furthermore, show remaining colour positional purely result intrinsic allophony does display full RP-like clear-dark Results do, however, confirm speakers have slightly more fronted variant initial-/l/, probably prestige variant. Keywords: phonetics, accents, sociophonetics, analysis, liquids, alveolar lateral, sound