English in Barbados

Barbadian English or Bajan English is a dialect of the English language as used by Barbadians (Bajans) and by Barbadian diasporas. It should not be confused with Bajan Creole, which is an English-based creole language.

Pronunciation

See also: English vowels

Barbadian English is very rhotic and full of glottal stops. It is also very ubiquitous for the first vowel in price or prize. One example of Barbadian English would be the pronunciation of departments, which is IPA: [dɪˈpaːɹʔmənʔs].

• The realization of the KIT vowel /ɪ/ in Barbadian English is pretty much the same as in American English, the default [ɪ].
• The DRESS vowel /ɛ/ is [ɛ].
• The TRAP vowel /æ/ is usually [a].
• The LOT vowel /ɒ/ is usually [ɑ] or [ɒ].
• The STRUT vowel /ʌ/ is the same as in the US English, [ʌ].
• The FOOT vowel /ʊ/ is [ʊ].
• The FLEECE vowel /iː/ is [iː].
• The FACE diphthong /eɪ/ varies by region and education/class: it manifests in educated speech generally as [eː] or sometimes [eɪ], and in rural and uneducated speech as the vowel [ɛ].
• The PALM vowel /ɑː/ is mostly [aː].
• The THOUGHT vowel /ɔː/ is [ɑː] or [ɒː].
• The GOAT diphthong /oʊ/ is generally [oː] or [oə].
• The NEAR diphthong /ɪər/ and the SQUARE diphthong /ɛər/ are both [eːɹ].
• The START vowel /ɑːr/ is [aːɹ].
• The NORTH vowel /ɔːr/ is usually [ɑːɹ] or [ɒːɹ].
• The FORCE diphthong /ɔːr/ and the CURE diphthong /ʊər/ are both usually [oːɹ].
• The BATH vowel /ɑː/ is mostly [aː].
• The CLOTH vowel /ɔː/ is mostly [ɒː].
• The NURSE vowel /ɜːr/ is [ɤ].
• The GOOSE vowel /uː/ is mostly [uː].
• The PRICE/PRIZE diphthong /aɪ/ is generally [ʌɪ].
• The CHOICE diphthong /ɔɪ/ is either [ʌɪ] or [oɪ].
• The MOUTH diphthong /aʊ/ is [ʌʊ].
• The final HAPPY vowel /i/ is pretty much alike the FLEECE vowel [iː].
• The final LETTER vowel /ər/ is [ɤ].
• The final HORSES vowel /ɪ/ is [ɪ].
• The final COMMA vowel /ə/ is [ə].
• The TRAP and LOT vowels are not merged in Barbadian English. However the vowels of LOT, CLOTH and THOUGHT are generally merged.

See also

• Euro-Bajan English
• Barbados

References

• Schneider, E.W.; Kortmann, B. (2004). A Handbook of Varieties of English: Morphology and syntax. Mouton de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110175325.