LL-L "Idiomatica" 2004.09.21 (05) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 21.SEP.2004 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Idiomatica

John Feather wrote under "Holidays" today:

> recon = reckon. I found when I went to the US that Americans thought
> that only cowboys talked like this.

This is my experience also.  I remember that soon after my arrival in the
States ("donkey years ago," as I would say as my Australian approximant
persona) a friend (a Midwesterner) told me to stop saying "I reckon."  She
seriously believed that it was an affectation, a very poor attempt at
sounding American, going over the top by making it fake-Texan.  But it is
actually very commonly used in Australia, which is where I had lived before.

She did not object to "I s'pose" (< "I suppose"), probably because it's
fairly non-American but understandable and she has much tolerance and liking
for such things (as opposed to putting on non-Standard American accents).  I
now tend to say "I guess," sometimes "I suppose" (not "I s'pose," nor
"stawb'rry" or "secret'ry," nor "contróversy" but "cóntroversy").

I used to stick more vehemently to my guns (plus non-American English tends
to result in much positive attention around here), but rebelliousness wears
off with age, and there are only so many battles you can fight at the same
time ... I reckon.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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