Word-Final Devoicing of Fricatives in South African English

South African English has many characteristics which it shares with the English of southern England. With the exception of a few varieties spoken in the Cape Province, South African English is non-rhotic. It also has the trap-bath split. One characteristic which distinguishes South African English from other varieties is the devoicing of word-final fricatives.

Word-final voiced fricatives tend to fully devoice in South African English. As a result, words such as bathe, luge, keys and wave are pronounced differently than in other varieties of English. However, pairs such as base-bays, face-phase, life-live and safe-save are not pronounced identically because of pre-fortis clipping. Words such as base, face, life and safe have shorter vowels than in bays, phase, live and save. As a result, they are minimal pairs.

Word-final fricative devoicing is a characteristic of South African English. However, pre-fortis clipping keeps words such as base and bays distinct. Pre-fortis clipping exists in all varieties of English and is evident in pairs such as cab-cap and sad-sat. In South African English, though, pre-fortis clipping applies not only to plosives but also to fricatives.