The beagle household was watching Good Eats tonite on the TiVo…it was the casserole episode. So far, so good.
Then it happens. This hacks me worse than the “lose/loose” debacle…or the “nuke-you-ler/new-clear” mess. Alton Brown said that “word”. He said…ahem… GREEZY.
Dammit Alton, there ain’t no such word as “GREEZY”. “Greasy” is prounced “Greece-ee”. There is such as thing as GREASE. There is no such thing as GREEZE…ergo the word is prounced “Greece-ee”.
You know what. I went to m-w.com and looked up Greasy. They list 2 pronounciations, the second one being “Greezy”. I don’t care. They’re trailer trash as well if they can’t see that “greasy” is derivative of “grease”
mrs beagledave thinks it’s a hoot to sneak in the incorrect pronunciation of the word to see if I’m paying attention.
mrs beagledave apparently comes from hillbilly stock, and ours is a pitty marriage.
Our 18 month old daughter has yet to say either version of the word. If she chooses the wrong version…someone will be contacting DCFS.
But if you say it your way, it loses its ‘sleazy’ connotations, which can be very important. Personally, I think the pronunciation chosen should match the meaning.
ex:
This cheeseburger is greasy (greece-ee).
Jimmy Swaggart is greasy (greez-ee).
You, sir , live on the dividing line of regional dialects. The Iowa-Missouri line is the divide between the German and Norwegian language influenced “Greece-ee” dialect zone and the Appalachia influenced “Gree-zee” zone. From Interstate 80 to Interstate 70 there are pockets of local speach holding out but thery are becomming submerged by the accepted speach patterns of local TV 6:00 news speach–usually called “Eye Witness News” inflection.
Generally the same boundaries also apply to the great wash-wahrch dicotomy.
Your only hope for your child is to watch local news TV originating from points well north of Davenport, like Bettendorf or Savanna.
Joke right?
Our three local new stations cover the Quad Cities. Which would include Bettendorf. Well north?
Anyways Dave, what have we discussed about picking on us hillbillies? 'Member I’m from the original Hatfield clan.
I go back and forth on the way I say it depending on what I am saying. I will try to refrain from slipping into hillbilly mode around you.
But, remember I’m only a few blocks away and I’m sure between my five heathens and your Mrs. with the hill background we can teach the Walking One that shoes are just no good.
(I adore the pictures keep the comming please!)
There seems to be a misconception here that one dialect is acceptable and another is not. There is no standard dialect, kiddies.
The dialect that you are most likely to hear on national programs is a Midwestern dialect. That is because most of the original broadcast schools were located in the Midwest.
Southerns are encouraged by outsiders to ham it up. Then outsiders laugh because they think we are stupid. And we laugh because they have shown their asses.
I say greezy. Some people say greesy. Either is correct.
There is NO ‘midwest’ in any of the other English-speaking countries of the world, and, just by the way, there are more of US out there than there are of YOU…
We’re having a bit of a ‘go’ at you and your funny accents. Don’t start getting all serious on us will ya…sheeeeeesh.
