All of those are different to me. I do agree that the difference in sound when you actually do say them is so faint it's hard to even distinguish. But it's there. Notice how when you say Alyssa or Amelia, your throat feels more open than when you say Elissa or Emilia. Same with Amber/Al/Alice vs. Ember/Elle/Ellis, although the As make a slightly different sound than those other two A names.
I'm from Michigan.
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 4:00 AM