LL-L "Etymology" 2002.04.28 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 28.APR.2002 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Colin Wilson" <lcwilson at starmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2002.04.27 (06) [E]

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

I (Colin Wilson) wrote:
>> In the 1970s, the comedian Steven Robertson used to do a monologue
>> which took the form of his "end" of a supposed telephone conversation
>> with Queen Elizabeth. It drew gales of laughter when he addressed her
>> as "quine".
>
>Tsk, tsk ...  That was very naughty indeed!  ;)  But it's just the sort
>of irreverent thing I would expect that particular bad boy of comedy to
>come up with (which may explain his success in Australia, despite the
>heavy Scottish "accent").

That's very interesting, but I can't help thinking that this must be
a different comedian. The one that I'm thinking of was little-known
outside north-east Scotland, had no particular reputation as a "bad
boy", and retired from the entertainment world in 1995.

>What is the difference in pronunciation, if any?  There must be one,
>given his oral delivery and the audience's reaction.  _Queen_ ~ _queen_
>*[kwin] versus _quine_ ~ _quean_ *[kw at in]?

That's basically it, at least as far as I understand your phonetic
representation. It may help if I add that it rhymes with "wine", in
north-east Scotland at least. As Andy Easgle pointed out, there are
(or were) other regional pronunciations.

Goodwill to all,

Colin Wilson.

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Colin:

> That's very interesting, but I can't help thinking that this must be
> a different comedian. The one that I'm thinking of was little-known
> outside north-east Scotland, had no particular reputation as a "bad
> boy", and retired from the entertainment world in 1995.

Hmmm ...  I thought I was sure that was his name, but now I no longer
am.  The one I'm thinking of made appearances in Australia in the
mid-to-late 1970s, and he was probably in his thirties then.  I thought
his name was "Robertson" ...

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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