The Quirky Pronunciation of 'Always' Across America: A Dive into Regional Dialects

Have you ever noticed the distinct way some Americans say the word “always”? In the western part of the United States, for instance, “always” often sounds like “oways.” This pronunciation can be fascinating and even confusing at times. But before diving into the specifics, let's explore the context and regional identities that contribute to this distinctive feature of American English.

Introduction to Regional Pronunciations

While it might not be uniquely Californian, the 'oways' pronunciation of 'always' is notably prevalent in California and other Western states. Regional identity, social interactions, and media exposure all play a significant role in shaping these speech patterns. For those outside the West, it might initially seem like a quirky California accent, but it's much more than that.

The Typical Pronunciation and the Cot-Caught Merger

In most American English dialects, the word "always" is typically pronounced as /' However, in Western United States dialects, influenced by the cot-caught merger, the pronunciation changes to /'ɑ This shift occurs because the short o sound in North America is unrounded, changing the traditional /ɑl/ pronunciation into /ɑw/.

This merger is a feature of the broader cot-caught merger that affects many regional accents in the U.S. For dialects not affected by this merger, or those with an inverse pronunciation (like New England and Eastern Canada), the word is pronounced with a more distinct /l/ sound. But for the Western accents that have undergone this merger, the l gets softened, turning into a w sound.

Geographic Spread and Other Merged Pronunciations

The 'oways' pronunciation of 'always' is not limited to California. In fact, anyone east of the Mississippi River is likely to exhibit this merged pronunciation. This includes areas with other pronounced mergers, such as the 'in-between' vowel, which is used by speakers in Pittsburgh and the Ohio River Valley.

A Personal Insight

I, myself, from the flat plains of Nebraska, initially found this pronunciation puzzling. However, as soon as I heard it on a scene from The Big Bang Theory – a sitcom where the character Raj jokingly proclaims, 'I will always have feelings for you', I was convinced. The l in 'always' is clearly enunciated in this scene, and likely in many such situations in the show. My own confusion was dispelled after this realization. I recall saying something similar in my head, only to inadvertently drop the j sound and say, “oways” instead of “always.”

Interestingly, there's another pronunciation change that is less common, the softening of 'l' into a 'w' sound, which is more characteristic of the Essex and broader Estuary English accent. This is particularly evident in words like 'alright', often written as 'awright' for emphasis. A typical sentence in a Cockney accent might sound like, 'tha' fahnd 'e mo'ah he nicked in a lock up dahn a' Wowsend', which translates to, 'they found him in a storage unit down at Wallsend.'

These regional pronunciations and mergers not only add color and character to American English but also provide a fascinating look into the dialects and identities of different regions. Understanding these quirks can enrich our appreciation of the rich linguistic landscape of our country, making it all the more exciting to explore each region's unique nuances.