/wh/ - /w/

[Marsha Alley]

Eh-yop, that's what I mean.

I'm not all the way up on how to show pronunciation, bear with me.  Lots of folks around here pronounce the u in aunt as African-Americans do, while my Scots-Irish Blue Ridge background has me saying *ant* instead.  Not the really backwoodsy *aint*.  Mixed with the normal rural colloquial speech, the drawn out aunt sounds like an affectation to my ears.  "Dang, ain't them dogs uh Auwnt Sadie's mean?"

I don't know, maybe they're just trying to be funny and I'm too gullible.  Perhaps I should make this burning question my life's work, huh?  LOL.
Marsha

  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>>
  Poster:       Wilson Gray <wilson.gray at RCN.COM<mailto:wilson.gray at RCN.COM>>
  Subject:      Re: /wh/ - /w/
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  On Sep 28, 2004, at 9:42 PM, Dennis R. Preston wrote:

  >
  >> Rural-urban is indeed an important distinction
  >> and now (finally) being paid attention to. I'm
  >> bemused by the /ant/ (as opposed to /ænt/)
  >> pronouncers in Oregon. Tell us more.
  >
  >
  > dInis
  >>
  >

  dInIs, I think that she means that "aunt" is pronounced as though
  spelled "ant" and not that it's actually pronounced [ant]. Though I
  could be wrong, of course.

  -Wilson