Scots vouel lenth rule
The Scots Vouel-Lenth Rule, kent as Aitken's Law forby, efter Professor Jack Aitken, wha first pit it ower in a mensefu mainer, descrieves hou vouel lenth in Scots is condeetiont bi its environs. (Phonetics in IPA.) The rule affects aw vouels in central dialects, tho in dialects ootwi central Scotland some vouels bides unaffectit.
- [ə],[ɪ],[ʌ],[ɛ] and [a] is for ordinar short.
- [e], [i], [o], [u] an [ø] is for ordinar lang:
- in stresst seelables afore [v], [ð], [z], [ʒ] an [r].
- afore anither vouel an
- afore a morpheme boond.
- [ɑ], [ɒ] an [ɔ] is for ordinar lang in maist dialects.
- The diphthong [əi] for ordinar kythes in short environs an [aɪ] in the lang environs descrieved abuin.
See forby