Montserrat

Part of the local folk history in Montserrat is that Irish or Irish English has influenced the variety of English that emerged there. However, in Volume 3 Wells (1982: 586, 1983) reports there is no linguistic justification for this claim, even though Irish Catholics from nearby St. Kitts did settle the island in the early 17^th century and several place names and surnames reflect Irish influence.

Montserrat English reveals short vowels in open syllables in segments that were long historically, e.g. tea [ti], play [ple], straw [stra]. However, in closed syllables there appears to be a contrast between long and short vowels, e.g. beat [bi:t] vs. bit [bit], pool [pu:l] vs. pull [pul]. In Volume 3, Wells (1982: 586) insists that this is not a difference in vowel quality but in length as presented above (however, two allophones of /o/ do reveal differences in quality, e.g. show [ʃo] and cut ). This issue of short vowels in open syllables in Montserrat English means that the short vowels of words like tea are linked phonemically with the /i/ of bit rather than the [i:] of beat. Likewise, the [u] of two is linked with /u/ of put rather than the /u:/ of boot. Furthermore, in closed syllables, Montserratians often reveal diphthongs for mid vowels reminiscent of those heard in Western Caribbean varieties like Jamaican, e.g. boat [buot] and bait [biet], but these diphthongs are not found in open syllables, e.g. bay [be], show [ʃo].

Montserrat English is non-rhotic. Consequently, long vowels are found in open syllables (as well as closed ones) where historical /r/ was once present, e.g. star [sta:], war [wa:], start [sta:t], farm [fa:m]. Other words with long vowels that revealed /r/ historically resulted in the emergence of new diphthongs, e.g. near [nia] and four [fuo].