That word "neen"

[Joan Houston Hall]

Right.  DARE Vol III (at need sense 1) shows both this and the full
"needn't to" to be "chiefly S Midl."

At 09:27 AM 8/21/02 -0700, you wrote:
>I don't have Bethany's post anymore, but I think the point was not that
>"needn't" is derived from a word "neen," but that "neen" IS 'needn't' as
>pronounced in the region.  I.e., "neen to" = 'needn't to'.
>
>--On Tuesday, August 20, 2002 8:34 PM -0400 Tori Anders
><toribelle34249 at CS.COM> wrote:
>
>>Bethany,
>>
>>I found your message about the word "neen" very interesting.  I have
>>lived in Appalachia my whole life and have NEVER heard that word, other
>>than it's derivative "needn't."  I learned something today!  Now, I will
>>be sure to pay close attention to someone saying it.  However, the word
>>that continues to bother me the most is "heerd" for "heard."  It makes my
>>ears cringe.
>>
>>Tori
>
>
>
>****************************************************************************
>                               Peter A. McGraw
>                   Linfield College   *   McMinnville, OR
>                            pmcgraw at linfield.edu