Vowels TRAP

As noted, the WM dialect, being a Northern accent, generally lacks a TRAP/BATH distinction.

Most data sources suggest a typical realization [a] (BCDP; Painter 1963: 30), with a tendency in more formal styles to approximate to [æ] (BCDP). Chinn and Thorne (2001: 20) note [a]-like realizations as typical of Bm in e.g. cat, plait, and Heath (1980: 87) also has [a] for Cannock.

For Sandwell (Black Country), Mathisen (1999: 107) found the TRAP vowel to be fronter than most Northern varieties, closer to [æ] and very short. The older, overlong [æ::] occurred occasionally, even among teenagers.

There is also evidence, although so far mainly only from written, SED or informants’ anecdotal material, for rounding of TRAP (to  ) especially before nasals. This may in fact be the only phonological characteristic of the historical WM dialect area, although its relative absence from the interview material may indicate it is now recessive. Pre-nasal examples include: Bm/ BC <’ommer/’ omber> hammer; BC <clomber> clamber; Bm/BC <mon> man, <donny> danny ‘hand’; BC <con> can (v.), <pon> pan, <’ond> hand, <sond> sand, <stond> stand, <caercumstonces> circumstances; Bm/BC <bonk> bank ‘hillock’; Bm <Bonksmen> Banksmen ‘Black-Countrymen’; Bm <donky> danky ‘damp, dank’; BC <ronk> rank.

As also noted, Wakelin (1977: 96) points out that rounding of ME [a] to WM  can occur other than prenasally. Written examples in other environments include: BC <scrobble/ scramble> scrabble/scramble ‘tangle’, <opple> apple, <thot> that, <gobble> gabble; Bm/BC <boffle> baffle ‘hinder; thwart’; BC <motches> matches, <shol> shall, <gollopin> galloping, <volve> valve.