lawyer/liar confluence

[Charles Doyle]

But perhaps "loiyer" manifested as [lai jer] by the "hoist"-to-"heist" process?

--Charlie
_____________________________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:03:53 -0400
>From: Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>Subject: Re: lawyer/liar confluence
>
>
>But, Charlie, wouldn't they more likely have been saying "loiyer" [lOij at r] and not "liar" [laij at r]?
>
>-Wilson
>
>On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 9:54 AM, Charles Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
>>
>>  "Lawyer is to be pronounced _Lyer_ as is common now in some counties"--John Harland,_A Glossary of Words Used in Swaledale [etc.]_ (English Dialect Society, vol. 4 [1870]: 75).
>>
>>  The confluence occured with some frequency in satiric epigrams and dramatic repartee of the 17th century.
>>
>>  --Charlie
>>  _____________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>  ---- Original message ----
>>  >Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:22:44 -0700
>>  >From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >Several female members of the polygamous Texas sect appeared on Fox & Friends earlier today. One spoke of being unable to see a "lawyer," but the stressed vowel was so unrounded that the word was virtually identical to a Texas pronunciation of "liar." At first, that's what I thought she said.
>>  >
>>  >  The woman's phonology was otherwise unremarkable,
>>  >
>>  >  I wouldn't go so far as to call this homophony "phonological justice," but it comes close.
>>  >
>>  >  JL

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