Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

[r_a_l_i_g_h]

So I was listening to that song on the way in to work and I was wondering, which way do YOU say it? - because I think about random things like that

Comments

[schnappycat]

I think I am opposite of you on some. I say either or neither both ways depending on context. But why would anyone put an 'r' in laughter or after? Hee. And I say P-jam-mas (actually I say 'pah-jam-mas really), po-tay-to (more like pah-tay-to), and van-ell-a (I also say milk like 'melk', which is a source of amusement for my husband).

I have been told I have a funny accent.

[thetheatremouse]

Are you from Boston or thereabouts? Because my Swampscott relatives say "melk" and I wondered where that came from.

[schnappycat]

Nope, I am from Michigan. I sound very midwestern I have been told (which you can hear in my voice posts). Except for the melk thing. I have no idea about that. But my mom took a linguistics class in college and the professor had every student talk and he identified where they were from by their speech. My mom was the only one he got wrong. Thought she was from PA, when she is also from MI. So who knows?!

[r_a_l_i_g_h]

Totally pointless (when am I not?) but I LOVE the word "thereabouts" and "hereabouts" They're just fun to say.

[r_a_l_i_g_h]

Yeah, I have more of a pronounced "puh" or "pah" on "puh-JAH-mas" and "Po- (or pah-) TAY-to"

I think the overuse of the short E sound is a Western/Midwestern thing. My grandparents do it with certain words. And my sisters show traces of an "Okie" accent in the way they NEVER pronounce the city of Tulsa correctly, but instead say "Telsuh." (Many Oklahoma born and raised say that, also "neck-ed" for "naked" etc.)

[schnappycat]

Oh, no I definitely say 'Tulsa' and 'naked'. Melk is really the only overuse of e I have that I am aware of. I think it is just a weird quirk of mine. Can't figure it out othewise. I do have very midwestern 'a's and 'o's though. My 'mom' doesn't sound like 'maum' like most everyone elses does. It's much more nasal. Hee.

[r_a_l_i_g_h]

Do you do the "y'ello" for hello? A lot of northern midwesterns (Missouri/Minnesota/Iowa) seem to do that - kind of a swallowed "yuh" before the "-ello"