The vowels of RP TRAP

Associated with the general tendency of the modern RP front vowels to lower articulation, the movement by younger speakers from trad RP [æ] to RP [a] is arguably one of the most striking changes that has taken place in the accent group in recent years. (This “classical” chain shift, it should be noted, is being recognized in the accents of some non-standard dialects too, as in Ashford, Kent, by Kerswill [2002: 201].) It is also undoubtedly a most controversial matter. This is seemingly at least in part because the newer form corresponds with what is perceived by many to be a ‘Northern’ sound (sometimes described rather curiously as “flat a”).

Beyond this simple issue of regional prejudice, [a] is also a problematic sound for some Southern speakers, since, as Wells (1982: 291–292) explains, it is little different from a fronted version of their /Λ/ (‘their’ since Northern accents do not possess this phoneme): with [a] and [Λ] falling (close) together, distinctions between fan and fun blur or disappear in the perception of those used to the more obvious distinction between [æ] and [Λ].

Although an issue for some, this trad-RP to RP change is a matter of which British English native-speakers are aware (mimicking trad-RP bet for bat and so on). It is also coming to be remarked upon in the usually conservative English Language Teaching field (Weiner and Upton 2000).