aw-right

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Jun 14, 2005, at 7:46 AM, Larry Horn wrote:

> At 6:36 AM -0700 6/14/05, James Smith wrote:
>
>> Anyway, the word is "awright".
>
> and only when it *is* a word.  So,
>
> "The kids are all right/alright/ = awright"  (= 'they're fine, no
> prob')
> "The kids are all right/*alright/*= awright" (= 'none of them are
> wrong')
>
> Which supports the utility of the non-standard but popular "alright"
> spelling indicating wordhood, especially given the parallel to:
>
> "The kids are {already/*all ready} gone"  [for me, opt. = "awready"]
> "The kids are {all ready/*already} to go" [for me, =/= "awready"]

just to hammer home a point here:  this particular l-vocalization
occurs in the speech of people who are not generally l-vocalizers --
people like larry and me.

a moment of entertainment: i little while back i got an indignant
message from a correspondent incensed at my defense of "trepidatious"
on Language Log some time ago.  the header of the message:
   I assume you think "alright" is a word, too.

(i've chosen not to respond.)

arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)