“Long” vowels

NURSE

In practically all regions the main pronunciation of this vowel is a long and central vowel, [з:/ɚ] , yet in addition to this there is a great deal of variability, little of which can be systematized. This includes backing, e.g. to [ɔ] or [o], e.g. in northern England, Tobago or Cameroon; [Λ] in Scotland, CajE, LibSE, or PakE; fronting to [ε] (widespread in West Africa and the Pacific and common also in the Philippines, in AbE in Australia, in Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, as well as in Scotland and some urban British accents); fronting and rounding to [œ], e.g. in Wales or NZE; lowering to [a:] or a short [a] (e.g. in SurCs, EAfrE, or forms of WAfE); and diphthongization (in some dialects of AmE).