“Long” vowels

FLEECE

In these words, a long high front [i:] realization is the main variant practically everywhere. Regional L1-dialects, in many parts of Britain, in AusE (most strongly in the socially marked Broad type), and also in Canada, in New Zealand and in TobC, tend to show upgliding, with movements ranging from fairly short [ɪi] to (much less commonly) fairly wide [əi/ei] glides. Centralizing offglides ([iə], etc.) are possible but relatively rare, largely restricted to IrE, WelE and SAmE. Shortening of this vowel occurs rarely in L1 contexts (e.g. in Shetland and Orkney, IrE, and a few American and Caribbean accents) but is common in Africa, South-East Asia, and the Pacific.