Vowels and diphthongs NURSE

This vowel is not normally a distinct one in JamC, being simply the STRUT vowel plus /r/. In BrC a range of somewhat higher, mid-central pronunciations also occur. In both varieties, rounding is common. R-coloration is most frequent morpheme finally, but may occur before /rC/ combinations, especially /rt, rd/. With mid-central pronunciations it is less common, unlike the StJamE long monophthong, but does occur in BrC. Sutcliffe and Figueroa (1992: 103) record for Dudley a close central onset  , “a new sound... not noted for JC formerly” in wok ‘work’, tod ‘third’, church ‘church’, etc.