My limericks

[Ivan S. Eubanks]

Thank you, Paul (if I may), your point is well-taken.  I certainly do 
not interpret the short "o" as a mark of illiteracy, and I apologize if 
I gave that impression.  In fact, I wouldn't dispute anything you've 
said in general, and I've read enough of your posts on SEELANGS to have 
developed a healthy respect for your opinions on linguistics.  I do, 
however, wonder whether the rounding before the intervocalic /r/ hasn't 
already rendered "Horace" (with the same "o" as in "horse") as a 
standard already for that particular word.

I think it has, although defining such standards is tough, and I will 
defer to data that indicates one or another pronunciation is standard.  
Meanwhile, to my ear Professor Townsend's limerick reflects a perfectly 
acceptable and what I assume to be standard pronunciation of "Horace" in 
American English.

Thanks for the reply,

Ivan S. Eubanks, Ph. D.
Editor
Pushkin Review
www.pushkiniana.org


On 5/31/12 7:35 PM, Paul B. Gallagher wrote:
> [overruling Dr. Eubanks' private Reply-To address as I think this will 
> be of interest to the whole list]
>
> Ivan S. Eubanks wrote:
>
>> Concerning the short "o"--"HAriss" sounds like something Archie
>> Bunker would say were he to succumb to an apoplectic fit over "Ars
>> poetica" or "Exegi monumentum" (although I can also imagine his wife,
>> Edith, screaming it at the top of her lungs when he finally
>> frustrates her enough).
>
> You may well be right -- the character was supposed to be from New York.
>
> But the rendition of traditional "short o" as in "not" with /a/ in 
> American English is so widespread that should not be misconstrued as a 
> mark of illiteracy or some other affliction. To the contrary, it can 
> be considered standard.
>
> For many Russians, who were taught British English, this may sound 
> peculiar, but I assure you it is perfectly normal in America (what the 
> Brits would call "bog standard"). Just listen to any TV evening news 
> report.
>
> The position before intervocalic /r/ is exceptional in that a 
> substantial number of Americans have rounding, so "Horace" has the 
> same vowel as "horse." The prevalence of this feature is so great that 
> it may well become our standard in a generation or two. But words like 
> "not" will happily continue unrounded as they have for generations, 
> and "father" will continue to rhyme perfectly with "bother."
>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------