Australian pronunciation

[Gerald Cohen]

>At 1:33 PM -0700 4/29/03, Kim & Rima McKinzey wrote:
>All this discussion re Oz pronunciation reminds me of the first time
>one of my Australian relatives came through the States.  I was about
>7 and the morning after this cousin arrived, he asked me where the
>"bison" was.  I remember wondering if he thought all Americans had
>pet buffalo...
>
>(Of course he meant the sink (basin).)
>
>Rima


   Here's one more anecdote.  About 1990 I visited NYC and was walking
down Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's Cathedral, when I noticed an
impressive double-row of policemen lined up on the street running
from Fifth to Madison Avenues. This was just across from the
cathedral.

    I walked up to a young couple sitting on the steps of the
Cathedral and asked  why the policemen were there. "Guy PeRRITE",
said the fellow.  I wasn't sure who Guy Perrite was (I'd been away
from NYC for a while), but the young woman, who was evidently
American, smiled and said: "Gay parade."

Gerald Cohen