wanta / wanna

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 7/18/02 4:28:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
laurence.horn at YALE.EDU writes:

> >In a recent Fanta ad on TV, young women dance and chant: "Wanta Fanta?
Don't
>  >you wanna?" I wonder:
>  >
>  >how long "wanta" will be spelled "wanta" (the text is shown in the ad)
> given
>  >that "wanta" and "wanna" are homophones;
>  >
>  >whether it is still possible to pronounce "want a" with /t/;
>  >
>  >how come the manufacturers don't seem to fear losing the /t/ in "Fanta"
>  >(just kidding)...
>  >
>  One problem, if it is a problem, is that "Fanta" for me (and I assume
>  others) doesn't come close to rhyming with "wanta" with or without a
>  t in the latter.  This is an orthographic rhyme but not a real one.
>  Or do they pronounce it [fant@], with a back vowel?

Take one look at the spelling "Fanta" and its seems obvious that it is short
for "fantasy" or "fantasia" or some such, and therefore should rhyme with
"Santa [Claus]".

I don't understand why the slogan wasn't written "Wanta Fanta?  Don't you
wanta", but as the old Winston cigarette commercials demonstrated, Madison
Avenue is shaky on English grammar.

     - Jim Landau