Pronunciation of the Lateral in English Dialects

In Received Pronunciation, the alveolar lateral is velarized in syllable-final position. The velarized lateral is also called dark. In syllable-initial position, it is not velarized and can also be called light. However, not all English dialects follow the pattern of Received Pronunciation.

The dialect of Bristol is in southwestern England. Though it is a southern dialect and most southern dialects follow the pattern of Received Pronunciation, Bristol does not. In Bristol, the lateral is velarized both syllable-initially and syllable-finally.

The dialect of Newcastle is in northwestern England. Though it is a northern dialect and most northern dialects velarize the lateral in all positions, Newcastle does not. In Newcastle, the lateral is not velarized syllable-initially or syllable-finally.

English dialects vary in the pronunciation of the alveolar lateral. Most southern dialects velarize it in the syllable coda, and most northern dialects velarize the lateral in both the syllable onset and the syllable coda. In the dialect of Bristol, however, the lateral is velarized as in most northern dialects, and in the dialect of Newcastle, the lateral is never velarized, a feature that is also typical of many Irish dialects. The pronunciation of the lateral varies in the dialects of England.