chunk_id
stringlengths 5
8
| chunk
stringlengths 1
1k
|
|---|---|
1738_42 | In 1967 the sporty elegance of the Starfire was gone. The Ninety-Eight and the Toronado were now Oldsmobile's remaining top level luxury cars. There were five Ninety-Eight body styles available. Standard Ninety-Eight trim included: armrests, power brakes, dual cigarette lighters, electric clock, carpeting, lamp package, molding package, seat belts, power seats, power steering, Turbo-Hydramatic and power windows. Upholstery was cloth, vinyl or leather. Standard tire size was 8.85 x 14 inches. Ninety-Eight models were built in Lansing. The split grille appearance, which had been implemented in 1966 on the Cutlass and 88 series models appeared on the 98 series. |
1738_43 | In 1968 Oldsmobile continued to produce five well appointed Ninety-Eight body styles. Standard equipment included: dual master cylinder, four way flasher, energy-absorbing steering column, back-up lights, side marker lights, seat belts, cross-flow radiator, rear armrest ashtrays, power brakes, electric clock, special moldings, shoulder belts, Deluxe steering wheel, power steering, carpeted trunk and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. Upholstery was cloth, vinyl or leather. Standard tire size was 8.85 x 14 inches. Engine displacement was increased to the Rocket V8 with 365 horsepower. Ninety-Eight production was in Lansing. |
1738_44 | The 1969 Ninety-Eight conventional front engine/rear drive car remained the top-of-the-line Oldsmobile. It was the largest Oldsmobile product offered and now had a wheelbase. Six body styles were now available with a hardtop version of the Luxury Sedan added to the lineup. New to the Ninety-Eight series were a recessed padded instrument panel, anti-theft lock within the steering column, rear view mirror map light, mini-buckle seat belts, and deeply padded head restraints. Standard equipment included: power brakes, self-regulating electric clock, full carpeting, courtesy lamps, paint stripes, power seat adjuster, seat belts and shoulder harnasses, power steering, Deluxe steering wheel, power windows, Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, custom sport seat, foam padded front seat, and wheel discs (hub caps). Standard tire size was 8.85 x 14 inches. Upholstery was vinyl, cloth or leather. The Ninety-Eight's standard engine was still the Rocket 455 which required premium leaded gas. All |
1738_45 | Ninety-Eights were made in Lansing and had the code letter M. |
1738_46 | Some of the available 1969 options were a tilt-telescope steering wheel, instant horn, four season air conditioning with comfortron, tinted glass windshield, 6-way power seat, divided front seat with dual controls, power trunk release (vacuum), power door locks, power front disc brakes, AM-FM stereo radio, rear seat speaker, stereo tape player (8-track), power operated antenna, door edge guards, cruise control, left outside remote control mirror, cornering lamps, anti-spin rear axle, vinyl roof, flo-thru ventilation, and safety sentinel.
Of the Ninety-Eight series, the 1969's were the only models to have an attached hood extension. After receiving numerous complaints from dealership mechanics about hitting their heads on the extension, Oldsmobile changed the style of the hood in 1970, removing the extension, which resulted in a flat hood design. |
1738_47 | In 1970, the Ninety-Eights were the largest Oldsmobiles. They still shared the luxury side of Oldsmobile business with the Toronado. Standard equipment included: Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission, power steering, power brakes with front discs, power windows, power seats, Deluxe steering wheel, electric clock and full wheel discs. Standard tire size was J78-15. Interiors were vinyl, cloth or leather. All Ninety-Eights were made in Lansing indicated by the codel letter M in the Vehicle Identification Number. The length grew to 225.2 inches.
Ninth generation (1971–1976) |
1738_48 | Oldsmobile built its biggest full-size car in 1971 although wheelbase was unchanged from 1970. The Ninety-Eights were the roomiest Oldsmobiles ever built thanks to the new GM full-size bodies which, at 64.3" front shoulder room and 63.4" rear shoulder room, set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size GM rear-wheel drive models of the early to mid-1990s. The 1971 through 1976 Ninety-Eight was very similar to the Oldsmobile 88 (which by now was called the "Delta 88") except the Ninety-Eight had a longer passenger compartment owing to its 3" longer wheelbase, and had rear Cadillac-esque tailfins to better differentiate between the two full-size models. |
1738_49 | The standard 455 cubic-inch Rocket V8 was rated at and designed to run on lower octane regular lead, low-lead or unleaded gasoline for the first time this year thanks to a General Motors-mandate that all engines be designed to run on such fuels in preparation for the catalytic converter equipped cars of 1975 and later years that absolutely required unleaded gasoline. Despite this, a few 1975 and 1976 Ninety Eights were released from this catalytic converter requirement in Canada and were given certification along with exemption from requiring unleaded gasoline. V8s were progressively detuned as production wore on in line with tighter emission standards. Trunk mounted louvers for the flow through ventilation system were only found on 1971 models (as in many other GM models of 1971). The louvers were moved to the doorjambs for 1972-1976 models. From 1971 to 1976, Oldsmobile's full-sized Custom Cruiser station wagon shared the wheelbase and 455 cubic-inch V8 with the Oldsmobile |
1738_50 | Ninety-Eight, and shared its interior and exterior styling, in particular the Ninety-Eight's distinctive front fascia and rear quarter panels complete with fender skirts. |
1738_51 | The number of body styles was reduced to four for 1971. The convertible was gone as were the 4-door sedan body styles. A new body style was the Luxury Coupe. For the first time ever all Oldsmobile Ninety-Eights were now hardtops, and for the first time since 1964 not all hardtops were called Holidays. Standard equipment included armrests, front and rear, power brakes with front discs, electric clock, carpeting, inside hood release, lamp package, power seat, power steering and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. Standard tire size was J78-15. Interiors were vinyl, cloth and leather. Ninety-Eights were built in both Linden and Lansing. |
1738_52 | Four body styles were offered in the Ninety-Eight series for 1972. Standard equipment included: Deluxe armrests, dual ashtrays, power brakes with front discs, electric clock, carpeting, interior hood release, remote control outside mirror, molding package, interior light package, windshield radio antenna, power seat, power steering, spare tire cover and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. A midyear version of the 4-door hardtop named the Regency was produced to commemorate Oldsmobile's 75th year as an automaker. For the first time in 17 years the Ninety-Eight set a new sales record of 121,568. |
1738_53 | In 1973 a five body style Ninety-Eight series was at the top end of the Oldsmobile line. The 75th anniversary Regency 4-door hardtop continued, following its successful mid-1972 introduction. Standard equipment included: Deluxe armrests, dual ashtrays, power brakes with front discs, cigarette lighter, carpeting, inside hood release, dome light, molding package, windshield radio antenna, foam sheet cushions, power steering, Deluxe steering wheel, Turbo-Hydramatic transmission and wheel opening covers. Standard tire size was L78-15. Upholstery was vinyl or cloth. The Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight set another record of 138,462 sold. |
1738_54 | The 1974 Ninety-Eight was now Oldsmobile's longest running series dating back to 1941, and was still popular. Five models were offered with the Regency Coupe taking the place of the Luxury Coupe. Standard equipment included: power brakes with front discs, cigarette lighter, electric clock, interior hood release, lamp package, molding package, remote control outside mirror, windshield radio antenna, power steering, Deluxe steering wheel, spare tire cover, power windows, power seat and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. Standard tire size was J78-15. Upholstery was vinyl, cloth or leather. |
1738_55 | From 1974 to 1975 the Ninety-Eight reached a record length of 232.4 in (5903 mm), when federally mandated bumpers were added both front and rear increasing the overall length of the cars by several inches, while 1976 model year saw minimal length reduction to 232.2 in (5898 mm). It is also worth to note that 1974 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight 4-door hardtop was the longest car with that body style sold that year, since the longer Lincoln Continental, Cadillac Sixty Special and Cadillac Series 75 were basically sedans (and 1974 Lincoln Continental came only with one hardtop body style: the 2-door). The 1974-76 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight (as well as all full-size Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs) also were among the first US production cars to offer an air bag option ("Air Cushion Restraint System") beginning in 1974. Very few cars were so equipped. The high cost ($700) plus public uncertainty about the yet-to-be proven safety systems that are now universal in today's automobiles saw quite |
1738_56 | handily to that. |
1738_57 | The number of Ninety-Eight body styles was reduced in 1975. Four were available consisting of coupes or 4-door hardtops in Luxury or Regency trim. Two door models were no longer hardtops. Standard equipment included: power brakes with front discs, cigarette lighter, electric clock, electronic ignition, hood release, bumper impact strips, lamp package, 455 CID engine, molding package, remote-controlled outside mirror, power seat, power windows, power steering, Deluxe steering wheel, chrome wheel discs and Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. Standard tire size was J78-15. Upholstery was vinyl, cloth or leather. |
1738_58 | In 1976 the Luxury and Regency editions of the full-size Ninety-Eights were offered, in 2-door coupes or 4-door hardtops. 4-doors had an extra window (like an opera window) in the C-pillar. A landau roof option for the coupe gave it a huge-looking opera window. Like the Custom Cruiser, Ninety-Eights had a dual section eggcrate-design grille, with new front end panel, front bumper, and wraparound horizontal parking lamps. Amber marker lenses aligned with the headlamps wrapped around the fender sides. Separate clear cornering lamps had horizontal ribs. Vertical taillamps were decorated with a small emblem in each lens. Tiny back-up lamps stood alongside the license plate, on a panel that also contained small red lenses next to the tail lamps. Standard Ninety-Eight equipment included a 455 CID Rocket V8 with 4-barrel carburetor, Turbo-Hydramatic, vari-ratio power steering, power brakes, power driver's seat, driver's door armrest control console, electronic message center, electric clock, |
1738_59 | fold-down center armrests, front ashtray, and JR78 x 15 blackwall steel-belted radials. Rear fender skirts and bumper impact strips were also standard. A new 2.41:1 axle ratio became standard to improve fuel economy. |
1738_60 | Ninety-Eight Regency |
1738_61 | For the 1972 model year, the Limited Edition Regency was offered to commemorate Oldsmobile's 75th anniversary. Each 1972 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency was registered at Tiffany's and included the specially styled interior with black or covert gold "pillow effect" velour upholstery, and power split bench seat, in place of the power bench seat with a rear clock. Tiffany touches include the Tiffany Gold paint (an exclusive custom metallic color created especially for this car), the clock has also been specially styled by Tiffany's and bears a white Oldsmobile emblem above Tiffany's name on a golden face. Each 1972 Regency owner received a distinctive sterling silver key ring as a gift. If they were lost, the keys could be dropped in a mailbox, and Tiffany's would return them to the owner. A total of 2,650 75th anniversary Ninety-Eight Regency cars were built, all of them four-door hardtops. In 1973 the non-anniversary Regency stayed in the line up slotted just above the LS. The Regency |
1738_62 | package would remain available on the Ninety Eight through the 1996 model year when it would become a separate model nameplate. |
1738_63 | Tenth generation (1977–1984)
The 1977 model was extensively redone and downsized, like the Delta 88. The new models, at around 4000 pounds curb weight, were over 800 pounds lighter, but headroom and rear seat legroom were increased compared to equivalent 1976 models. The 455 CID engine was replaced by the smaller 403 CID V8. The Oldsmobile 350 V8 was now the standard engine. The Ninety-Eight set a new sales record of 139,423. A four-door sedan and a two-door hardtop coupe were available.
A diesel version of the 350 was added in 1978. Beginning in 1979, production of the Ninety-Eight was exclusive to Lansing as Linden Assembly was retooled to build the E-body cars. Base LS models were available as sedans only, and the premium Regency model came as either a coupe or a sedan. A limited production top level Regency LX sedan was also offered for 1979. |
1738_64 | The Ninety-Eight was restyled for 1980, along with the Delta 88. That year, it gained a new 307 cu in (5.0 L) V8 as an option. The 403 was dropped completely. The 1980 models received new exterior sheet metal, without drastically changing the look of the car. To improve aerodynamics and fuel economy the hood was sloped downward, while the trunk area was higher. This also gave all models a heavier, more substantial appearance, while even slightly increasing interior and trunk space. The 1981 model year saw the introduction of Buick's 252 cu in V6 as standard, as well as a new 4-speed THM200-4R automatic transmission; the first standard 4-speed automatic since 1960. The gas 350 engine was dropped that same year, completely replaced by the smaller 307. A redesigned steering wheel and slightly revised instrument panel were also new that year. While the 1981 model used a V6 engine, the model designation stayed as "Oldsmobile 98" instead of being called the "Oldsmobile 96". The traditional |
1738_65 | naming convention established in the late 1930s used the second number as the number of cylinders. |
1738_66 | The 1983 models received a new grille but were otherwise unchanged. The federal impact standard was rolled back for 1984, prompting GM to make major changes to the bumpers to save weight; predictably, this drastically reduced their effectiveness. An optional 8-track tape player and the 4.1 L V6 were no longer available, though the CB radio was still optional. Production ended in March 1984. These cars were actually sold concurrently with the new front-wheel drive 1985 model. The body style reference in GM Manufacturing became "D" for the carryover RWD models, and the new FWD cars became C-bodies (which had been the designation used hitherto for the RWD cars).
Size comparison between 1974 and 1977 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight |
1738_67 | Ninety Eight Regency Brougham
The new Regency Brougham model was introduced for 1982 and available for the sedan model only. This car featured plush "Prima" velour seats with embroidered emblems, cut pile carpeting, and electroluminescent opera lamps on the B-pillars. Wire wheel discs were also standard as well as Tungsten halogen headlamps, cornering lamps, full padded vinyl roof, and a tilt steering wheel. Regency became the new 'base' model as the LS was discontinued.
Eleventh generation (1985–1990) |
1738_68 | 1985 saw the Ninety-Eight downsized for the second time, this time switching from rear-wheel drive to a new front-wheel drive platform, with sales beginning in April 1984. Although this Ninety-Eight was nearly shorter in length and weighed over less than its predecessor, passenger space was nearly equal to 1984 models. Buyers seemed to prefer this new, more manageable Ninety-Eight, as 1985 model year sales, at 169,432 units, were more than double 1984's 76,833 units, an all-time sales record.
As in previous years, the 1985 Ninety-Eight was available as a 4-door sedan and a 2-door coupe, in either Regency or Regency Brougham trim. Both models came with standard velour seating, with Sierra grain leather optional on both. For the first year, the Buick 181 in³ V6 was the standard powerplant. V8 engines were gone for good, never to return to the Ninety-Eight. Optional engines were Buick's 231 and Oldsmobile's 263 in³ Diesel V6. The 3.0 gas V6 and 4.3 Diesel V6 were dropped for 1986. |
1738_69 | Oldsmobile consistently improved this generation Ninety-Eight over its six-year run, treating it to yearly updates. Available for the first time was an electronic digital dash display featuring speed and remaining fuel. A new Delco/Bose stereo cassette system was available for USD$895. Anti-lock brakes were a new option for 1986 and a special "Grande" package was offered in 1986 and 1987 featuring composite headlights and specific front end panel (1986 only), and 45/45 leather seats with pigskin inserts and console with a combination lock. |
1738_70 | For 1987, all Ninety-Eights received a new grille with flush composite headlamps. It would also be the last year for the slow-selling 2-door coupe body style. In 1988, a power pull-down trunk lid and an onboard computer with oil life monitor (known as the "Driver Information System") were added to the options list. For the 1989 model year, the Ninety-Eight saw another grille change and the addition of Twilight Sentinel headlights, optional remote keyless entry, an automatic dimming rearview mirror which could be turned on and off, and an optional (but rarely ordered) drivers-side airbag. |
1738_71 | By 1990, the eleventh-generation Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight had a new harmonic balancer and increased horsepower over 1985 models. Also in 1990, a PGA edition package for the Regency Brougham included gold PGA emblems, gold nameplate badging, gold striping, and wire wheels with gold Oldsmobile rocket emblems. 1990 would be the last year that the "Regency Brougham" trim level, first introduced in 1982, was offered on a Ninety-Eight.
Size comparison between 1984 and 1985 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
Engines
Touring Sedan
A new performance-oriented Touring Sedan model was introduced in 1987. The Touring Sedan was based on the Ninety-Eight Regency and featured a long list of standard equipment including leather seats designed by Lear Siegler, anti-lock brakes, an onboard computer (1988–1990), FE3 sport suspension, self-closing trunk (1988–1990), burl walnut interior, console shifter, 15-inch (1987 and 1988) or 16-inch (1989 and 1990) alloy wheels, and more.
Twelfth generation (1991–1996) |
1738_72 | The final generation of the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coincided with its 50th anniversary in 1991 and had added length, rear fender skirts, wide tail, low nose, and split-grille with wraparound headlights. Although wheelbase was unchanged from the previous generation, overall length increased by over 9 inches (229 mm). Most of this extra space was added to the rear of the car, resulting in a larger trunk. |
1738_73 | The final generation Ninety-Eight was available in two main trim levels: the traditional luxury-oriented Regency models and the performance-oriented Touring models. The engine choices included normally aspirated (all years) and supercharged (1992-1995) versions of the 3.8 L V6. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ninety-Eight, Oldsmobile offered a "50th Anniversary" package in 1991. This limited edition model was available only in black or white and featured cloisonné front fender anniversary emblems, gold nameplate badging, gold striping, and unique gold accent alloy wheels. The interior was trimmed in burl walnut with gold accents. |
1738_74 | In 1992, a new supercharged V6 engine became available on the Touring edition. Also that year, a new entry-level Regency trim model was added. On upper level Regency Elite models, a PGA edition package was offered which included gold PGA emblems, gold nameplate badging, gold striping, and unique gold accent alloy wheels. In 1993, a new value priced Special Edition model was added to the lineup and Ninety-Eight received an improved 3.8 L V6 engine offering better performance and fuel efficiency.
In 1994, the Touring edition was discontinued but many of the features of that model became standard or available on Regency Elite including the supercharged engine. Additionally, the Ninety Eight added standard front passenger-side airbag plus new instrument panel, steering wheel, and door panel designs. The exterior received a new cross-hatch grille as well as redesigned head- and side-marker lamps. |
1738_75 | In 1995, Oldsmobile further simplified the Ninety Eight lineup by offering just two levels of Regency Elite (Series I and Series II). Each was offered with a high level of standard equipment and only a short list of extra cost options. Also that year, the standard 3.8 L V6 engine was again reengineered to improve performance and fuel efficiency. For 1996, the Ninety Eight's final year, changes were minimal. The most notable was the removal of the supercharged engine from the option list. That engine, however, remained available on Oldsmobile's performance LSS model.
Engines:
1991–1996 3.8 L (231 in³) V6
1992–1995 3.8 L (231 in³) supercharged V6
Trim levels:
Touring - 1991–1993
Regency Elite - 1991–1994
Regency - 1992–1994
Regency Special Edition - 1993–1994
Regency Elite Series I - 1995–1996
Regency Elite Series II - 1995–1996 |
1738_76 | Discontinuation
The Ninety Eight ended production on May 31, 1996. It was replaced by the Oldsmobile Aurora as the top level car in Oldsmobile's product line.
References
External links
The 1980s Olds 98 Page
Oldsmobile Ads from the Forties to the Sixties
The Oldsmobile Connection - The Site For Oldsmobile Enthusiasts
Cotner-Bevington built professional cars using the Ninety-Eight chassis
98
Full-size vehicles
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1941
1940s cars
1950s cars
1960s cars
1970s cars
1980s cars
1990s cars |
1739_0 | Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford, New Jersey, and medical and academic campuses in Camden, New Jersey. It was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by 107 residents.
The university includes 14 colleges and schools with a total enrollment (undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies) of just over 19,600 students. Rowan offers 85 bachelor's, 46 master's degrees, six doctoral degrees, and two professional degrees. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". |
1739_1 | History
In the early part of the 20th century, there was a shortage of adequately trained teachers in the state of New Jersey. It was decided to build a two-year Normal school in the southern part of the state to counter the trend. Among the candidate towns, Glassboro became the location due in no small part to its easy access to passenger rail as well as its offer to donate of land to the state to build the Normal school. The 1917 purchase price of the property was raised by the residents of the town ($7,000 at the time) and used to purchase a tract that belonged to the Whitney family, who owned the local glassworks during the 19th century. |
1739_2 | In 1923 the Glassboro Normal School opened, with a class of 236 female students arriving at the train station in front of Bunce Hall. With the evolution of teacher training the school became a four-year program in 1934; in 1937 the school was renamed The New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro and became co-educational shortly thereafter.
The college was one of the first in the country to begin programs for teachers for reading disabilities and physical therapy in 1935 and 1944, respectively. Glassboro State began to develop a reputation as a leader in special education. After several years and the return of soldiers from World War II, the college was able to expand its enrollment from a wartime low of 170 in 1943 to an expansion of several additional campus and academic programs over the next 15 years and became Glassboro State College in 1958. |
1739_3 | Hollybush Summit
The Cold War Glassboro Summit Conference between U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin took place from June 23–25, 1967, in Hollybush Mansion on the campus of then-Glassboro State College. The college was chosen because of its location equidistant between New York City, where Kosygin was making a speech at the U.N., and Washington, D.C.
Then-college president Dr. Thomas E. Robinson was given just 16 hours' notice of the decision to hold the summit at GSC and, despite the lack of advance notice, converted his on-campus home into a secure location for the leaders of the world's superpowers.
After the summit
The campus was relatively quiet during the following decade. However, it included hard rock band Black Sabbath's first U.S. concert on October 30, 1970. Peaceful student protests occurred during the Vietnam war as they did at other campuses, but never required the college to close the campus. |
1739_4 | The college made national news following an annual event, Spring Weekend, in 1986, due to a loud party atmosphere primarily off campus around the Beau Rivage townhouses and The Crossings apartment complex in which police from several municipalities were called in to break up the parties. The event led to Glassboro State College's ranking as the #28 Party School in the nation in the January 1987 issue of Playboy magazine. Coincidentally, in the Greek section of that same issue of Playboy, the Epsilon Eta chapter of Zeta Beta Tau was also named one of the Animal House Contenders. |
1739_5 | Though the alcohol-fueled Spring Weekend was canceled by then-President Herman James (a non-alcoholic version continued for several years), Glassboro State College remained known for its hard-partying culture. However, in 1988, there began one of the biggest crackdowns in school history. As a result of the drinking death of freshman James Callahan at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, Herman James decided to make GSC an example for the rest of the state colleges and universities to follow. He invited the New Jersey Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABC) to the school. He began shutting down off-campus parties and placing undercover agents in the local liquor establishments. This prompted Morton Downey Jr., who was based in Secaucus, New Jersey, and very popular at the time, to do an untelevised show focusing on the drinking age and the classic argument that an eighteen-year-old can go off to war and die for their country although they cannot legally buy and consume beer. The |
1739_6 | following year, the ABC did not return, and the partying atmosphere that Glassboro State College was known for returned in earnest and continued into the 1990s and early 2000s. |
1739_7 | University status
In 1992, president Dr. Herman James oversaw the development of Glassboro State College into what would eventually become Rowan University. This transformation came about because of what was then the largest single gift to a public college or University in history. Industrialist Henry M. Rowan, Jr., a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology class of 1947, and his wife donated $100 million to the college, which later changed its name to Rowan College of New Jersey in his honor. The gift stipulated that the college open a College of Engineering, allowing the college to expand its course and curriculum offerings to the point that it became a full-fledged university, achieving that status in 1997. This status was given by the State of New Jersey based on Rowan University's doctoral degree program, the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, and the numerous master's-level programs in education and business. |
1739_8 | Following Dr. James' retirement as president in 1998, Dr. Donald Farish was chosen to succeed him and began further expansion on the Glassboro campus, opening a modern Science Hall in 2003 and a building to house the College of Education in 2005. In addition, acquisitions during the beginning of Farish's tenure as president led to the development of a tract of land bordering US Route 322 and State Route 55 as the West Campus.
The presidency of Donald J. Farish was noted for a continued crackdown on the university's partying culture, which declined alongside a rise in SAT scores and class rank among the incoming freshman classes. The crackdown on the partying culture began in earnest in 2002 with the official banning of kegs for use by Greek letter organizations. In 2006, two Rowan University students were found guilty for serving alcohol to minors at an off-campus party that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old male. Rowan promised to follow up with its own penalties. |
1739_9 | West Campus
On March 20, 2006, President Farish announced a joint venture between the university and Major League Soccer (MLS) to construct a new athletic complex based around a 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium on property owned by the campus at the intersection of U.S. Route 322 and Route 55. Although the stadium was planned to be complete for the start of the 2009 MLS season, New Jersey's 2006 budget problems resulted in cutbacks in funding for the infrastructure upgrades required by increased traffic related to an MLS team. When plan fell through, the stadium project was relocated to nearby Chester, Pennsylvania. |
1739_10 | The northern portion of the West Campus expansion currently contains the South Jersey Technology Park as well as room for future expansion; the southern portion of the West Campus expansion will accommodate both academic and athletic facilities. The university in 2015 opened a 17.5-acre site across from the South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University with practice fields for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse. Transportation between the two campuses will be provided with both shuttle service and improved bike paths, as well as improvements to Route 322 itself.
On a vast site adjacent to the West Campus ball fields, Inspira has begun work on an estimated $350-million medical center complex. The health care company broke ground May 24, 2017 on a 204-bed, 467,000-square-foot facility that is expected to open in September 2019. |
1739_11 | South Jersey Technology Park
Rowan University broke ground for the South Jersey Technology Park (SJTP) on April 10, 2006. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) gave Rowan University $5.8 million to combine with $1.5 million from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, $1 million from Samuel H. Jones, and $1 million from Rowan itself. SJTP is planned to be a site which will serve as an establishment for science and technology companies as well as academics. It is planned to have 25 buildings to provide competitively priced Class "A" facilities for budding entrepreneurs, start-up and established companies. SJTP was incorporated as a non-profit corporation with its own board of directors.
The first building, the Samuel H. Jones Innovation Center, has been leased completely out, and the revenue will help build a second building.
The Tech Park's first incubated business, SocialReach, has successfully graduated into its own offices in Philadelphia. |
1739_12 | The second planned building will be approximately divided between research and technology labs and offices.
Campus crimes
On August 12, 1996 22-year-old Cindy Nannay was fatally shot outside Bozorth Hall by her estranged boyfriend, who then killed himself. Nannay was so afraid of Scott Lonabaugh, 27, that when he arrived on the campus to see her, she asked friends to accompany her to the parking lot, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's office said. As her friends looked on, Mr. Lonabaugh shot Ms. Nannay twice with a shotgun and then shot himself in the head, prosecutors said. Both died at the scene. |
1739_13 | Eleven years later, in 2007, another student was murdered on campus. Sophomore Donald Farrell, 19, was robbed and beaten to death by unknown assailants while walking behind the Triad dormitory. A reward of $100,000 has been offered for information leading to the capture, arrest and conviction of the assailants. In an effort to find Farrell's assailants, television stations in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City aired reports on the murder, and America's Most Wanted twice featured segments on the incident.
Following Farrell's murder a new campus security initiative was undertaken, starting with a 14-point plan proposed by President Farish. The plan included hiring additional security staff, adding more fully trained police officers, starting a student patrol program, an expansion of the Safe Walk and Ride program, improving lighting in and around campus, installation of CCTV cameras, and changing security and police coverage from an 8-hour to a 12-hour shift. |
1739_14 | Cooper Medical School
It was announced on June 26, 2009, that Rowan would be partnering with Cooper University Hospital to create a new four-year medical school to reside on Broadway in Camden. Rowan was chosen by governor Jon Corzine to house the new medical school primarily because the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) was not in a financial position to fund the creation of the school, for which Rowan issued $100 million in bonds.
The new school would require no new funding as $28 million would be diverted from UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, which will no longer be associated with Cooper University Hospital after the opening of Cooper Medical School. Opening in 2012 with an entering class of 50, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University was the only medical school in the state not affiliated with UMDNJ before their closing. It was the first new medical school in New Jersey in at least 30 years. |
1739_15 | The Cooper Medical School of Rowan University was granted preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education on June 10, 2011.
Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act
In January 2012, a state advisory committee proposed a plan to merge Rowan with the Camden campus of Rutgers University (which would have been separated from Rutgers) under Rowan's name. The project was opposed by the Rutgers governing boards, faculty, students, and alumni, and by others in the state. Legislation passed in June 2012 rejected the idea of a merger, though it did include provisions for a loose collaboration between Rowan and Rutgers-Camden limited to research and teaching in the health sciences. This legislation, the "New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act" (A3102 & S2063), enacted several essential changes to Rowan: |
1739_16 | Rowan University was granted Research University status and was granted increased state funding.
Rowan University acquired the University of Medicine and Dentistry's (UMDNJ) Stratford-based School of Osteopathic Medicine. Rowan joined Michigan State University as the only institutions in the country to operate both a DO and an MD medical school. The acquisition also included the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS).
A joint Rowan/Rutgers-Camden governing board was created to oversee the development and operation of collaborative programs in the health sciences. |
1739_17 | Student deaths and mental health support
The university faced criticism for not providing more mental health resources and support for students after four students committed suicide between 2019 and 2021. Following the student deaths in 2019, the university expanded its resources better accommodate students' mental health, including bringing the number of counselors employed to 17 and partnering with TogetherAll, a 24/7 mental health support network. Additionally, the university received a $3 million grant in 2019 to start The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program after their success with bringing in local therapy dogs to help students with anxiety and stress.
Academics |
1739_18 | The university is currently divided into thirteen units: College of Communication & Creative Arts, College of Education, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, College of Health Sciences, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, College of Performing Arts, Rohrer College of Business, College of Science & Mathematics, Global Learning & Partnerships, School of Biomedical Science & Health Professions, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Osteopathic Medicine, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Notable virtuoso concert organist Gordon Turk became a professor of organ instruction at Rowan University in 2013. |
1739_19 | Admissions and enrollment
Enrollment at Rowan from the fall semester of 2017 shows 15,401 undergraduates and 2,045 graduate students from 38 states and 34 countries. The overall admission rate is 53.0%. Undergraduates submitting statistics for a data set in 2017 had scores of 530 at the 25th percentile and 630 at the 75th percentile in SAT critical reading and 510 at the 25th percentile and 620 at the 75th percentile for SAT Math. As of the fall of 2016, the average accepted GPA was 3.46.
Rankings
Social Mobility Index rankings
Rowan was ranked the #2school in the United States by the Social Mobility Index college rankings.
U.S. News rankings
Best Colleges Rankings (2020):
National Universities: 166 (tie);
Top Public Schools (National): 78 (tie);
Undergraduate Engineering Programs (where a doctorate is not offered): 21 (tie).
Undergraduate Electrical Engineering (where a doctorate is not offered): 15 (tie) |
1739_20 | Best Grad School Rankings (2019):
Medical: Primary Care 91–120;
Education: 195–258;
Nursing (Masters): 176 (tie).
Top Online Programs Rankings (2019):
Graduate Engineering Programs 72–94;
MBA Programs 131 (tie);
Graduate Education Programs 186 (tie);
Bachelor's Programs 264–348.
Athletics |
1739_21 | Rowan University has 18 sports teams (8 men's and 10 women's). The football, field hockey, women's lacrosse, and track & field teams play at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium at John Page Field, the basketball, volleyball, and swimming & diving teams play in Esbjornson Gymnasium (attached to the REC Center), and all other teams play on their own fields around campus. Rowan's teams are styled as the Profs (short for Professors, a nod to the school's history as a teaching college), and the current mascot is named "Whoo RU." Rowan also has club teams for archery, ballroom dance, baseball, men's and women's basketball, cheerleading, crew (rowing), cycling, dance, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, fishing, golf, men's and women's ice hockey, karate, men's and women's lacrosse, mixed martial arts (MMA), outdoors, paintball, powerlifting, Quidditch, racquetball, rock climbing, roller hockey, men's and women's rugby, skateboarding, ski and snowboarding, men's and women's soccer, softball, street |
1739_22 | hockey, swimming, table tennis, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, men's and women's volleyball, and wrestling. |
1739_23 | A member of the NCAA in Division III, the sports teams at Rowan University have been moderately successful on a national level. The Profs football team is regularly a contender for the national title, having gone to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl five times (1999, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1993) and the national semifinals in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2005. The women's field hockey team won the national championship in 2002 and had a perfect season of 21 wins and no losses. The men's basketball team has made the Division III National Championship Tournament 12 times, winning the national title in 1996. The men's soccer team has made the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament 24 times, resulting in seven trips to the national semifinals. Rowan men's soccer has won national titles in both 1981 and 1990, finished second in 1979 and 2000, and third in 1980, 1985 and 1998. Rowan hosted the Division III National Championship Tournament Final Four for men's soccer in 2000 and Women's |
1739_24 | Lacrosse in 2002. The baseball team has won the Division III National Championship in 1978 and 1979 while making appearances in the NCAA Division III World Series in 2004, 2005, and 2021. The Profs compete in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. |
1739_25 | Student life
Student Center
The Chamberlain Student Center is the main location for dining on campus. Dining options include the Owl's Nest restaurant, Peet's Coffee, Grill Nation, Jersey Mike's, Freshens, Sono, Crust, Chef Jet, Smoked, Breakfast & Co., Bowl Life, Pop Up, and the RoGo convenience store. The Student Center also features a Game Room where students can play pool and arcade games such as skee-ball, ping pong, and air hockey. It is also home to the Student Government Association, Conference and Event Services, the Greek Affairs Office, Student Activities, the Mailroom, and the Information Desk. Students and staff also get their RowanCard ID here. |
1739_26 | Media
There are three primary publications on Rowan's campus, The Whit, Venue, and Avant. The Whit is in the classic newspaper format and is published weekly except during exams. Venue is a more "alternative" publication that is uncensored and focuses on campus opinions and humor. Initially formed in 1968, Venue was a very political publication that only later changed its format. Venue prints out four issues a year in full color and is run entirely by students. Avant is a student-led literary magazine that compiles students' poems, short stories, photos, and artwork. Avant publishes fall and spring issues each year. |
1739_27 | In addition to print publications, Rowan also has an award-winning radio station, Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM, which began in 1964 on a $6,000 budget. Additionally, the Rowan Television Network (RTN) is a student-run closed-circuit television station that provides 24-hour content to the students of Rowan University. RTN currently consists of 11 student-produced television shows, various sports related programming, and coverage of topical events occurring on campus.
Housing
Rowan provides housing for over 6,500 students in 13 University owned housing complexes and 5 affiliated housing units. Students have a choice between halls, apartments, or townhouses. Full-time, non-commuter students are required to live in on-campus until the completion of their sophomore year, and are thus guaranteed on-campus housing during this time. After this, students must enter into a housing lottery. |
1739_28 | With the university's continued growth, housing at Rowan's main Glassboro campus has reached capacity. To counter this, the university offers incentives for first-year students who volunteer to live in tripled units (three students in a standard two person dorm room). Incentives include $1000 off housing/academic year, free summer housing, and a free in-room fridge/microwave rental. As of late 2015, the tripling program has been highly successful at gaining voluntary sign-ups. In addition to the tripling program, the university has moved to construct new housing aggressively.
The student-run Residence Hall Association represents students who live on-campus. The Residence Hall Association (RHA) is an organization formed to represent the interests of resident students and work to improve the quality of life on campus. RHA is affiliated with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls, Inc. (NACURH, Inc.).
Freshman residence halls |
1739_29 | Mimosa Hall
Mimosa Hall was constructed in 1967 and is in the center of campus adjacent to the student center. This 4-story building has suite style rooms consisting of 2–3 bedrooms with a common bathroom. The hall houses 310 students, including 1 Resident Director and 11 Resident Assistants.
Chestnut Hall
Chestnut Hall is a 3-story colonial-style building constructed in 1984. The building is on the North end of campus in between Holly Pointe Commons and Magnolia Hall. It features bedrooms arranged around a common bathroom and a small lounge. The common bathroom and lounges are maintained by RLUH staff and come fully furnished. The building accommodates 384 students, including 1 Resident Director and 14 Resident Assistants. |
1739_30 | Willow Hall
Willow Hall was constructed in 1984 and is on the north end of campus near Chestnut Hall and Magnolia Hall. It houses 203 students, including 1 Resident Director and 6 Resident Assistants. The building features bedrooms with a hallway connecting them to a common bathroom and small lounge. There are no laundry services for this building so students must bring their laundry to the Student Center.
Magnolia Hall
Magnolia Hall is a colonial style hall constructed in 1984. It houses 201 students including 6 Resident Assistants. The bedrooms consist of 1–3 students and a hallway leading to a common bathroom and lounge which are maintained by RLUH staff. The hall is adjacent to Willow Hall. |
1739_31 | Evergreen Hall
Evergreen Hall is located on the south end of campus and was constructed in 1962. The hall houses 230 students split across 3 floors. The building features an interior courtyard, but is off-limits to students except with explicit permission from the resident director. The building features 2 bedrooms connected by a private bathroom. Each floor has a private study room, and the building has an air-conditioned lounge and kitchen. The building has a staff of 6 resident assistants and is on the southern end of campus, next to Mullica Hall.
Mullica Hall
Mullica Hall was built in 1963 and houses 107 students, including 3 resident assistants and 1 resident director. The building has 3 floors and a common kitchen and air-conditioned lounge. The hall features 2 bedrooms connected by a common private bathroom. The hall is next to Evergreen Hall. |
1739_32 | Holly Pointe Commons
Holly Pointe Commons is a 1,415 bed housing complex consisting of single, double, and triple occupancy bedrooms. It also features a 550-seat dining hall opened in the Fall 2016 semester. Constructed on the former location of Mansion Park Apartments, the taller portion of the complex is seven stories and is connected to a four-story building via overhead walkways. It is the first project constructed under a public-private partnership on Rowan's campus.
As the university continues to expand, numerous other potential housing sites have been evaluated by master planners. In mid-2015, the Borough of Glassboro issued Requests for Qualified Developers for the remaining developable land along Rowan Boulevard. Additionally, the Borough is seeking to redevelop the former Roxy theater location in Downtown Glassboro. Rowan University has agreed to lease space at this location for its College of Performing Arts and the Rowan Television Network.
Upperclassman housing |
1739_33 | Edgewood Park Apartments
Edgewood Park Apartments is a complex of four identical buildings, each with three floors and 24 quad-occupancy apartments, housing 480 students.
Triad Apartments
Triad Apartments was acquired by the university in 1966 and contains three wings of four floors each. The building's first floor was used as classroom space and the Office of Public Safety until a renovation in the early 2000s converted it into student housing with air conditioning. The other three floors were unrenovated. It holds 378 students. |
1739_34 | The Townhouses
The Townhouse Complex was built in 2005 and has 113 apartment style living units that accommodate 464 students in single occupancy rooms. The lower density complex features ample shade covering and is located farther from the main Rowan Boulevard/Glassboro business district. However, some students choose to live here because it is closer to most academic buildings and quieter than other locations. There is a three-story parking garage to accommodate Townhouse residents.
Rowan Boulevard Apartments
Rowan Boulevard Apartments opened in September 2009 and contains four buildings housing 884 students located along the south side of Route 322 and Main Street. The apartments have both single-bedroom and four-bedroom/two bathroom configurations. Three buildings housing 568 students finished for the 2009–2010 school year and the final building was completed the following year. |
1739_35 | Whitney Center
The Whitney Center is a five-story mixed use building located on Rowan Boulevard. The ground floor contains retail space including businesses such as Pizza Hut, and 7-Eleven. The top four floors contain student apartment-style housing. The building also houses a portion of the Rowan Honors College Living Learning Community.
Affiliated housing
Nexus apartments
Starting in the fall of 2017, Rowan University offered apartment-style housing options in a public-private partnership with Nexus Properties. The locations include 223 West High Street, 230 Victoria Street, 57 North Main Street, 114 Victoria Street. These apartments all feature similar layouts and consist of 2, 4, 6, and 8 person configurations.
220 Rowan Boulevard |
1739_36 | This 6-level 316,500 sq ft (29,400 m2) upscale building opened in August 2015. Formally named 220 On the Boulevard, it runs along Victoria Avenue, from Whitney Avenue to Rowan Boulevard. It then turns and runs along the midsection of Rowan Boulevard to Redmond Avenue. The developer Nexus Properties own the mixed use building. It features 456 beds of student housing in 110 4-bedroom apartments and 10 2-bedroom apartments. Through an agreement between the building owner and Rowan University, housing is managed through the Rowan housing request system. 220 Rowan Boulevard also features 57 units of market rate housing (apartments open to the general public) on the top two floors. Finally, on the ground floor the building contains retail space and an outpatient medical facility managed through a partnership with Cooper Bone and Joint and Inspira Health Network.
Student organizations |
1739_37 | There are more than 100 clubs and organizations at Rowan University; along with more than 30 Greek organizations on campus.
Other chartered clubs report to the Student Government Association including national award-winning programs such as the Rowan Television Network, the local PRSSA, the Rowan College Republicans, the Rowan Democratic Club, and The Student University Programmers (SUP). Cinema Workshop, the university's student film club, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007.
Transportation
New Jersey Transit bus routes 313 and 412 serve the university. U.S. Route 322 (Mullica Hill Road) bisects the campus. It is a planned stop on the Glassboro–Camden Line, a proposed diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system. |
1739_38 | Notable alumni
Dan Baker (born 1946), Philadelphia Phillies PA Announcer and former Philadelphia Eagles PA Announcer
John Sadak, Television play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Reds
Jessica Boyington, Miss New Jersey USA 2006
Kyle Cassidy (born 1966), American photographer and videographer
Betty Castor (born 1941), Florida politician and former president of the University of South Florida
Adam Chazen (born c. 1985), Associate Visual Effects Producer for Game of Thrones.
Jack Collins (born 1943), college basketball coach and former Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
Nick Comoroto (born 1991), professional wrestler
Jim Cook Jr. (born 1987), journalist and playwright.
Scott DePace, TV director, The Howard Stern Show
Steve Dildarian (born 1969), creator of the HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim.
Ric Edelman, financial planner and radio host
Evan Edinger (born 1990), American-born YouTuber based in London, England |
1739_39 | Stink Fisher (born 1970), football player and actor in movies such as Invincible and The Longest Yard.
Jamie Ginn (born 1982), Miss Delaware 2006
Dino Hall (born 1955), running back who played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns.
Robert Hegyes (1951–2012), actor and former co-star of Welcome Back, Kotter known for his role as Juan Epstein, who was a professor at his alma mater in the early to mid-1990s.
Allen Helbig (born 1964), artist, animator, photographer, body painter and web designer
Kenneth Lacovara, explorer and paleontologist, known for discovering new species of dinosaurs (2004 Rowan Alumnus of the Year)
Trymaine Lee, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter
Fred H. Madden (born 1954), New Jersey State Senator and former superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
Marilyn Marshall (1941–2015), R&B and jazz recording artist
Tim Marshall, radio host, R&B Music Hall of Fame 2013 Inaugural Inductee |
1739_40 | Soraida Martinez (born 1956), artist, designer and social activist known for creating the art style of Verdadism.
Scott Menzel (born 1982), film critic and chairperson of Hollywood Critics Association
Mary Previte (1932–2019), author of Hungry Ghosts, served in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 6th Legislative District from 1998 to 2006.
Megan Rochell, R&B singer, dropped out before graduating.
Patti Smith (born 1946), musician, singer and poet, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Shaun T (born 1978), motivational speaker, fitness trainer and choreographer best known for his home fitness programs T25, Insanity and Hip-Hop Abs.
James L. Usry (1922–2002), first African American mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey. |
1739_41 | Notable faculty
David Bianculli, television critic; teaches television and film history
Marvin Creamer, geography professor and first person to circumnavigate the globe without any navigational instruments
See also
Rowan College at Burlington County
Rowan College at Gloucester County
References
External links
Rowan Athletics website
Educational institutions established in 1923
Glassboro, New Jersey
Universities and colleges in Camden County, New Jersey
Universities and colleges in Gloucester County, New Jersey
Public universities and colleges in New Jersey
1923 establishments in New Jersey |
1740_0 | The phonology of the open back vowels of the English language has undergone changes both overall and with regional variations, through Old and Middle English to the present. The sounds heard in modern English were significantly influenced by the Great Vowel Shift, as well as more recent developments such as the cot–caught merger.
Overview
Old and Middle English
In the Old English vowel system, the vowels in the open back area were unrounded: . There were also rounded back vowels of mid-height: . The corresponding spellings were and , with the length distinctions not normally marked; in modern editions of Old English texts, the long vowels are often written , . |
1740_1 | As the Old English (OE) system developed into that of Middle English (ME), the OE short vowel merged with the fronted to become a more central ME . Meanwhile, the OE long vowel was rounded and raised to ME . OE short remained relatively unchanged, becoming a short ME vowel regarded as , while OE long became ME (a higher vowel than ). Alternative developments were also possible; see English historical vowel correspondences for details.
Later, ME open syllable lengthening caused the short vowel to be normally changed to in open syllables. Remaining instances of the short vowel also tended to become lower. Hence in Late Middle English (around 1400) the following open back vowels were present, distinguished by length:
, spelt , as in dog, god
, often spelt , or before consonant+vowel or certain consonant pairs, as in boat, whole, old |
1740_2 | 16th-century changes
By 1600, the following changes had occurred:
The long vowel of boat had been raised to as a result of the Great Vowel Shift. Before non-prevocalic , the raising did not take place, so more was still .
The diphthong found in words such as cause, law, all, salt, psalm, half, change, chamber, dance had become an open back monophthong or .
At this time, the short in dog was lowered to
There were thus two open back monophthongs:
as in lot
or as in cause and (before ) in more
and one open back diphthong:
as in low |
1740_3 | 17th-century changes
By 1700, the following further developments had taken place:
The diphthong of soul was raised to , and then monophthongized to , merging with boat (see toe–tow merger). Before , this change was later undone by the horse–hoarse merger except in some varieties, as currently seen in Irish English, Scottish English and African American Vernacular English.
Short was retracted and rounded to . The shift was suppressed before a velar consonant, as in quack, twang, wag, wax, and also was suppressed in swam (the irregular past tense of swim). The change of to did not occur in Mid-Ulster English.
had begun to partake in lengthening and raising before a nonprevocalic voiceless fricative. That resulted in words like broth, cost and off having instead of , and was the start of the split (see further below). |
1740_4 | In words such as change and chamber, the pronunciation was gradually replaced in the standard language by a variant with , derived from Middle English . That explains the contemporary pronunciation of these words with .
However, when preceded , as in laugh, and half, was shifted to instead, derived from Middle English .
An unrounded back vowel developed, found in certain classes of words that had previously had , like start, father and palm. |
1740_5 | That left the standard form of the language with four open back vowels:
in lot and want.
in cloth and cost.
in start, father and palm.
in tor, cause, and corn.
Later changes
From the 18th century on, the following changes have occurred:
The three-way distinction between , , and was simplified in one of two ways:
In General American and old-fashioned RP, was raised to , merging with the vowel in (the cloth-thought merger).
In many accents of England, the lengthening of the set was undone, restoring the short pronunciation . This became standard RP by the mid-20th century.
In General American, the lot vowel has become unrounded and merged into (the father–bother merger).
This leaves RP with three back vowels:
in lot, want, cloth, and cost.
in tor, cause, and corn.
in start, father, and palm.
and General American with two:
in lot, want, start, father, and palm.
in tor, cause, corn, cloth and cost. |
1740_6 | Unrounded
In a few varieties of English, the vowel in lot is unrounded, pronounced toward []. This is found in the following dialects:
Irish English
Much of the Caribbean
Norwich
The West Country and the West Midlands of England
Most of North American English
Excluding Boston and Western Pennsylvania accents, in which it is typically raised toward , merging with the vowel in thought.
Linguists disagree as to whether the unrounding of the lot vowel occurred independently in North America (probably occurring around the end of the 17th century) or was imported from certain types of speech current in Britain at that time. |
1740_7 | In such accents, lot typically is pronounced as , therefore being kept distinct from the vowel in palm, pronounced or . However, the major exception to this is North American English, where the vowel is lengthened to merge with the vowel in palm, as described below. This merger is called the merger or more commonly the father–bother merger. (See further below.)
Father–bother merger
The father–bother merger is unrounded lot taken a step further. On top of being unrounded, the length distinction between the vowel in lot and bother and the vowel in palm and father is lost, so that the two groups merge.
Examples of possible homophones resulting from the merger include Khan and con () as well as Saab and sob ().
Out of North American dialects that have unrounded lot, the only notable exception to the merger is New York City English, where the opposition with the -type vowel is somewhat tenuous. |
1740_8 | While the accents in northeastern New England, such as the Boston accent, also remain unmerged, lot remains rounded and merges instead with cloth and thought, though the outcome of that is still a longish free vowel that is heard as thought by British speakers.
split
The split is the result of a late 17th-century sound change that lengthened to before voiceless fricatives, and also before in the word gone. It was ultimately raised and merged with of words like thought, although in some accents that vowel is actually open . The sound change is most consistent in the last syllable of a word, and much less so elsewhere (see below). Some words that entered the language later, especially when used more in writing than speech, are exempt from the lengthening, e.g. joss and Goth with the short vowel. Similar changes took place in words with ; see trap–bath split and /æ/-tensing.
The cot–caught merger, discussed below, has removed the distinction in some dialects. |
1740_9 | As a result of the lengthening and raising, in the above-mentioned accents cross rhymes with sauce, and soft and cloth also have the vowel . Accents affected by this change include American English accents that lack the cot-caught merger and, originally, RP, although today words of this group almost always have short in RP. The split still exists in some older RP speakers, including Queen Elizabeth II.
The lengthening and raising generally happened before the fricatives , and . In American English the raising was extended to the environment before and , and in a few words before as well, giving pronunciations like for long, for dog and for chocolate. |
1740_10 | In the varieties of American English that have the lot–cloth split, the lot vowel is usually symbolized as , often called the "short o" (although from a phonological standpoint it is not a "short" vowel), and the cloth vowel as , often called the "open o". The actual pronunciation of these vowels may vary somewhat from the symbol used to denote them; e.g. is often pronounced closer to an open back rounded vowel , and is sometimes fronted to an open central vowel . Some words vary as to which vowel they have. For example, words that end in -og like frog, hog, fog, log, bog etc. have rather than in some accents. |
1740_11 | There are also significant complexities in the pronunciation of written o occurring before one of the triggering phonemes in a non-final syllable. However, the use of the open o as opposed to the short o is largely predictable. Just like with /æ/-tensing and the trap–bath split, there seems to be an open-syllable constraint. Namely, the change did not affect words with /ɑ/ in open syllables unless they were closely derived from words with in close syllables. Hence occurs in crossing, crosser, crosses because it occurs in cross; likewise in longing, longer, longest because it occurs in long. However, possible, jostle, impostor, profit, Gothic, bongo, Congo, and boggle all have . However, there are still exceptions in words like Boston and foster. A further list of words is mentioned in the table below: |
1740_12 | Some words may vary depending on the speaker like (coffee, offer, donkey, soggy, boondoggle, etc. with either or ). Meanwhile, other words vary by region. For example, in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. dialect, most famously spoken in metropolitan Philadelphia and Baltimore, the single word on has the same vowel as dawn (in the mid-Atlantic, this is ), but not the same vowel as don etc. (). Labov et al. regard this phenomenon as occurring not just in the Mid-Atlantic region, but in all regions south of a geographic boundary that they identify as the ON line, which is significant because it distinguishes most varieties of Northern American English (in which on and Don are closer rhymes) from most varieties of Midland and Southern American English (in which on and dawn are closer rhymes).
Cot–caught merger |
1740_13 | The cot–caught merger (also known as the low back merger or the merger) is a phonemic merger occurring in many English accents, where the vowel sound in words like cot, nod, and stock (the vowel), has merged with that of caught, gnawed, and stalk (the vowel). For example, with the merger, cot and caught become perfect homophones.
Other changes
merger
The merger is a merger of the English vowels and that occurs in Bradford English and sometimes also in Geordie and Northern Welsh English.
merger
The merger is a merger of the English vowels and that occurs in morphologically closed syllables in cockney, rendering fought homophonous with foot as . It is possible only in fast speech.
merger
The merger is a merger of the English vowels and that occurs in cockney, rendering hoard homophonous with who'd as , with the vowel quality that is typical of . It is possible only in fast speech and, in the case of (but not ), only in morphologically closed syllables. |
1740_14 | split
In some London accents of English, the vowel in words such as thought, force, and north, which merged earlier on in these varieties of English, undergoes a conditional split based on syllable structure: closed syllables have a higher vowel quality such as (possibly even in broad Cockney varieties), and open syllables have a lower vowel quality or a centering diphthong .
Originally-open syllables with an inflectional suffix (such as bored) retain the lower vowel quality, creating minimal pairs such as bored vs. board .
In broad Geordie, some words (roughly, those spelled with a, as in walk and talk) have (which phonetically is the long counterpart of ) instead of the standard . Those are the traditional dialect forms which are being replaced with the standard . is therefore not necessarily a distinct phoneme in the vowel system of Geordie, also because it occurs as an allophone of before voiced consonants. |
1740_15 | Distribution of /ɑː/
The distribution of the vowel transcribed with in broad IPA varies greatly among dialects. It corresponds to , , and (when not prevocalic within the same word) and even in other dialects:
In non-rhotic dialects spoken outside of North America, corresponds mostly to in General American and so is most often spelled . In dialects with the trap–bath split (such as Received Pronunciation, New Zealand English and South African English), it also corresponds to GA , which means that it can also be spelled before voiceless fricatives. In those dialects, and are separate phonemes.
In native words, in most non-rhotic speech of North America corresponds to both in GA (RP ) and in RP, as those dialects feature the father–bother merger.
In GA (which also features the father–bother merger), mostly corresponds to in RP. |
1740_16 | Many speakers in the US and most speakers in Canada use not only for RP but also for . Those dialects have the cot–caught merger in addition to the father-bother merger (though a tiny minority of speakers lack the latter merger, like Scottish English).
In loanwords, the open central unrounded vowel in the source language is regularly approximated with in North America and in RP. However, in the case of mid back rounded vowels spelled , the usual North American approximation is , not (in RP, it can be either or ). However, when the vowel is both stressed and word-final, the only possibilities in RP are in the first case and in the latter case, mirroring GA. |
1740_17 | In many Scottish dialects, there is just one unrounded open vowel that has two allophones. Those dialects usually do not differentiate from and use for both.
For the sake of simplicity, instances of an unrounded vowel (phonetically ) that do not merge with / are excluded from the table below. For this reason, the traditional Norfolk dialect is included but the contemporary one, nor the Cardiff dialect, are not.
Fronted /oʊ/
In many dialects of English, the vowel has undergone fronting. The exact phonetic value varies. Dialects with the fronted include Received Pronunciation; Southern, Midland, and Mid-Atlantic American English; and Australian English. This fronting does not generally occur before , a relatively retracted consonant.
Table
See also
Phonological history of the English language
Phonological history of English vowels
References
Bibliography |
1740_18 | Scottish English
American English
English language in Canada
Splits and mergers in English phonology
Sociolinguistics |
1741_0 | Karl Shuker (born 9 December 1959) is a British zoologist, cryptozoologist and author. He lives in the Midlands, England, where he works as a zoological consultant and writer. A columnist in Fortean Times and contributor to various magazines, Shuker is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cryptozoology, which began in November 2012.
Career
Shuker received a B.Sc.(Hons) in zoology from the University of Leeds and a PhD in zoology and comparative physiology from the University of Birmingham.
He is a Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London, a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, a consultant for the Centre for Fortean Zoology, and a member of the Society of Authors. |
1741_1 | Some of his larger works include Mystery Cats of the World (1989), The Lost Ark: New and Rediscovered Animals of the 20th Century (1993; expanded in 2002 as The New Zoo), and In Search of Prehistoric Survivors (1995), as well as two worldwide bestsellers – Dragons: A Natural History (1995; reissued in 2006), and The Unexplained (1996; reissued in 2002). Shuker also published Star Steeds and Other Dreams, a book of poetry which appeared in 2009. |
1741_2 | According to Jonathan Downes, there are a number of little-known cryptids to which Shuker was the first cryptozoologist to bring widespread public attention. These include the Sri Lankan horned jackal and Devil Bird, Gambo the Gambian sea serpent, Goodenough Island mystery bird, New Guinea ropen and devil pig or gazeka, Scottish earth hound, Indonesian veo and horned cat, New Caledonian du, Irish dobhar-chú, Shatt al Arab venomous mystery fish, Zanzibar makalala, Ethiopian death bird, Zululand kondlo, Arctic North American waheela, Kellas cat, Mongolian Death Worm, Hungarian reedwolf, Fujian blue or Maltese tiger as shown on the cover of Mysteries of Planet Earth (1999), Welsh cenaprugwirion, bigfin squid, St Helena sirenian, Timor Sea ground shark, and crowing crested cobra. |
1741_3 | Shuker pens two cryptozoological columns ("Alien Zoo" and "The Lost Ark") in Fortean Times, and contributes regularly to Strange Magazine, to Fate Magazine, and to Paranormal Magazine. In addition, he is the zoological consultant for Guinness World Records.
In a 2012 interview, Shuker stated that three of the most important zoological discoveries of the twentieth century were the okapi, the coelacanth and the saola (or Vu Quang ox). Shuker's 2012 volume, The Encyclopaedia of New and Rediscovered Animals provides a detailed discussion of similar discoveries, including discoveries made as recently as 2011. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.