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Latine Miami

IMG_3483.HEIC

PRONUNCIATION

Words like BATH/TRAP/TRAM --> [ ä ]

This is an open vowel that tends to be more centralized - think about targeting a Spanish A in the center of the vocal tract with a cupped tongue. Many accents of US English raise the vowel in TRAP when followed by a nasal consonant. So words like man, tram, can sound like me-an, tre-am, ce-an. Miami accents do not do this raising.

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Words like GOOSE --> [ u̘ ]

This vowel will become fronted in the Miami dialect, meaning the vowel is pronounced high and forward in the vocal tract. 

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Words like GOAT --> [ o̝ ]

Many accents of US English start the [oʊ] diphthong in GOAT closer towards the center of the mouth and unrounded. But the/o/  vowel in Spanish is always rounded. So the Miami speaker will often keep the GOAT vowel round in English. The realization of the articulators is slightly rounded lips and the back body of the tongue is high and arched.

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Words with L

Because Spanish doesn’t use the back/velar /L/ (feel, fall, still), a conscious effort is made to retract the tongue in order to achieve this sound or opt for the front/alveolar /L/ (as in literally, like, aLLow)

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Rhoticity

As opposed to many areas of the Southern United States, Miami speakers use a clearly defined /R/ sound. 

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