Vowels LOT

The BCDP data indicate that the WM dialect typically has  , with some raising. However, for Sandwell, Mathisen (1999: 108) characterizes the LOT vowel as  , and Painter (1963: 30–31) has BC , realized as , with sporadic (rare)  . Heath (1980: 87) has  for Cannock.

The  -type realizations are particularly interesting. Chinn and Thorne (2001: 21–22, 30) suggest that for Bm speakers, LOT is typically  , with  especially for younger speakers and  especially for WC and/or older speakers. He claims that the latter pronunciation is still largely retained in the Black Country and the more westerly parts of Birmingham; as noted above, he suggests the historically Northern-type WM accent has been influenced by Southern variants. There is indeed evidence (especially written, but some audio) for  realizations (especially before nasals, and especially  ), e.g. Bm <lung> long; BC <sung> song, <(w)rung> wrong, <frum> from, <bunnyfire> bonfire, <Aynuk> Enoch, <wuz> was. This alternation would seem to go back to ME times: as noted above, Brook (1972: 69) claims as a defining characteristic of the Middle English WM dialect the tendency for OE /o/_ to become ME /u/ before .

There is written evidence for unrounded realizations in words such as BC <drap> drop, <shaps> shops; similar failure to round also occurs in some cases of CLOTH (e.g. soft, wasp) and THOUGHT (e. g. water).