try and and try to

[Dfcoye at AOL.COM]

I ask my students during one of their vacations to find 3 informants: one
from their own generation, one from their parents, and one from their
grandparents.  We have a common questionnaire and the results for "try
and/to"  always show a regular increase.  I haven't got percentages in front
of me (one of my things to do this summer), and of course this is a not a
random sample, but it's a pretty clear trend for NJ anyway.   The two
pronunciations of either show the same trend with /ai/ gaining on /i/.

Dale Coye
The College of NJ