In this thread, a discussion about people using words without knowing what they really mean branched to include discussion of dialects. In order to save the other thread more of this discussion, I start this new thread.
We had branched off into a comparison of how different people say things, like “don” and “dawn”. I say those two the same, others don’t.
We ended up with some vocal samples, which Telperien and I linked to from various posts. Cazzle was also kind enough to send me some samples. I’m collecting them all here.
I’ve incorporated Cazzles’s files, and tidied up the names and all to makes things less confusing. But I left the old files where they were, so that the links in the other thread wouldn’t be broken.
So… anyone else got some interesting sentences? Anyone else want to contribute?
Where I grew up, the pronuciation of such a common word as “dog” is my prime example.
I can not get it to come out right no matter how I pronounce it to people, or to put it into phonetics; there is some kind of a sound there that just does not translate.
It ain’t dawg. It ain’t dogue. It ain’t D’AU’gh (although that’s close). In fact, when I try to do anything else but just say it, it doesn’t come out right. Very frustrating.
However, I guess it does serve as a kind of exclusionary term for Boggy Boys versus mere poseurs. (or however that word is spelt)
I had thought of this when you initially linked your “about boot kraut” audio. I can PM you to an audio of my pronunciation; include it if you think it noteworthy. It’s a bit different.
Re: “Aaron” and “Erin” - I’m not getting this in the above audio. Perhaps the file is cut off? Might just be my player.
I overfilled my server’s disk quota while doing this. (Too much junk in the FTP directories…) Sunspace.org is not responding. I went in via SSH, cleared out a lot of things, and filed a support ticket to get it turned back on. Links should be back and working today.
I’ve been able to hear them, Sunspace, so they’re definitely working. Nice to hear your voice again! Not sure if I can suggest any more sentences, but if you need another voice, let me know.
Sure. A demonstration that we don’t actually say that would be great.
And I got a message with samples from NinetyWt; I’ll add those too. NinetyWt also suggests that maybe some of the linguistically-inclined would come up with sentences that would show off dialect differences? (Although the “marry, merry, Mary” and “Don, Dawn, Aaron, Erin” ones are pretty good at doing that already…)
How about trying to work all the words (including the Canadian “about, boat, and boot” into one paragraph for people to read aloud? Something like
Mary rarely rose at dawn, but did so on the day she was to marry Don in order to pore over details such as whether the weather would be fine or poor for taking pictures, who was to pour the wedding wines and pitchers of beer, and to be sure that her poor, overly merry cousin Aaron, visiting from Erin, would catch the last boat (a converted ketch) from the mainland and so would not arrive until about the time the honeymoon bags were put in the boot.
That was so much fun that I threw in whether and weather, and catch and ketch. In fact I think I’ll record it now and email it to you, Sunspace.
I’ve recorded Fatwater Fewl’s sample. It took a hell of a lot of takes, because reading steadily and clearly, classroom-style, brings out a noticable difference in my accent. Whereas I eventually got a conversation-speed reading.
Which I’m finding fascinating to listen back to…I’ve no idea where the word between ‘and’ and ‘be sure’ has gone! It’s at ‘arrive’ that the local accent is evident with the ‘oi’ vowel sound creeping in. I’m aware of this precisely because it only appears in some words in my speech, not being a true local through family background, which is when people seem to have the strongest accents.
Regarding name pronunciations, I get a different pronunciation and quite often a different spelling from various relatives in Ireland and (less so now they’re all dead) in Wales, and none of these bother me in the slightest. The only one that pisses me off is English people reading it out confidently, as if they know how to say it, and managing to mangle it into none of the recognised versions.
I’m not sure about Aaron, though. I’ve always thought there were two pronunciations of that Air-on (the “proper” way - rhymes with “bear on”), and Arron (the “American” way - rhymes with “Darren”). The American pronunciation seems to have squeezed the other one out here in the last couple of decades.
