positionality = "social status or position" (UNCLASSIFIED)

Wed Aug 29 14:34:08 UTC 2007

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Charles Doyle
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 9:28 AM

>
> My "evidence" (such as it is) comes from many years of
> observing that my students from the North or from the
> non-"Southern"-speaking suburbs of Atlanta find my "dubya"
> pronunciation risable. I have assumed that the pronunciation
> is a consequence of postvocalic "l-dropping." (Just
> yesterday, one such student objected to my l-less
> pronunciation of his name, William.)

My given name is William, but I've always answered to "Wiyyam" (or, as
my cousin used to say, "Bih-Yuhl").

As far as students complaining, drop them a letter grade.

> But I have no HARD evidence!
>
> --Charlie
> __
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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