CONtract/conTRACT

[Laurence Horn]

>From: "Duane Campbell" <dcamp911 at JUNO.COM>
>To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 10:21 AM
>Subject: CONtract/conTRACT
>
>
>>  I have heard several spokespersons talk about the victims who have
>>  CON-tracted anthrax. My understanding has always been that you CON-tract
>>  with someone for a sale or service, but you con-TRACT a disease. Is this
>>  ideosyncratic or is this proper susage that is just slipping. (It seems
>  > to be the same people who constantly say "as best we can.")
>>
>
P.S.  It just occurred to me that the above cited speakers might
indeed say "conTRACT a disEASE"  but say "CON-tract AN-thrax" because
of the famous "rhythm rule" in English stress (four-TEEN vs.
FOUR-teenth FLOOR).  Just a guess.  It also might be "contamination"
from CON-tact (where verb and noun both have initial stress).

larry