Vowels START, PALM

The vowel of these items is variously transcribed as [a], [a:], [aə] , or  . It is generally treated as phonemically distinct from the LOT class. Thus, even among non-rhotic speakers cart and cot remain distinct. The START/PALM vowel is often backed and may be raised as well. Labov (1994) suggests it operates as part of a chain shift with the raising of CLOTH/THOUGHT and NORTH/FORCE.