%0 Journal Article
%T The Socio-Economic Significance of Four Phonetic Characteristics in North American English
%J American Journal of Linguistics
%@ 2326-0769
%D 2012
%I 
%R 10.5923/j.linguistics.20120103.06
%X This paper uses a least-square regression method that relates per-capita income to four phonetic characteristics (r-dropping, and the so-called ˇ°father-botherˇ±, ˇ°cot-caughtˇ± and ˇ°pin-penˇ± mergers), to study the socio-economic significance of those characteristics in North American English. As a result we find a positive and statistically significant relationship between per-capita income and r-dropping, and between per-capita income and the presence of the ˇ°cot-caughtˇ± merger, and a negative and statistically significant relationship between per-capita income and the ˇ°pin-penˇ± merger. No statistically significant relationship is found, however, between per-capita income and the presence of a ˇ°father-botherˇ± merger or split.
%K Statistical Regression
%K Phonetic Characteristics
%K Per-Capita Income
%K North American English
%U http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.linguistics.20120103.06.html