Quality and quantity in New Zealand English vowel contrasts
Acoustic analysis of word-list and sentence data from a database of spoken New Zealand English is used to address the suggestion that a number of vowel contrasts in this variety are moving towards a quantity-based distinction. Data from 73 speakers across three age groups and two sexes are analysed, for a total of almost 6,000 vowel tokens. The move to a quantity distinction is confirmed for thestrut‒startcontrast. In the case ofdressandfleece, younger and female speakers show greater overlap of the two vowels but also stronger diphthongisation offleece. The data also confirm the fronting offootaway fromthoughtand towardsgoose, but with no evident adjustment in durational contrasts or in the diphthongisation of either long vowel.Kitis becoming increasingly centralised, especially in the speech of young women, and is as a consequence becoming more distinct fromnurse. The findings are discussed in the context of the system of vowel contrasts in this variety.