aw-right

[Dennis R. Preston]

arnold,

Good point; the rules don't work at all for more general l-vocalizers
like me (i.e., those who distinguish barbeque from grilling).

dInIs

>On Jun 14, 2005, at 7:46 AM, Larry Horn wrote:
>
>>At 6:36 AM -0700 6/14/05, James Smith wrote:
>>
>>>Anyway, the word is "awright".
>>
>>and only when it *is* a word.  So,
>>
>>"The kids are all right/alright/ = awright"  (= 'they're fine, no
>>prob')
>>"The kids are all right/*alright/*= awright" (= 'none of them are
>>wrong')
>>
>>Which supports the utility of the non-standard but popular "alright"
>>spelling indicating wordhood, especially given the parallel to:
>>
>>"The kids are {already/*all ready} gone"  [for me, opt. = "awready"]
>>"The kids are {all ready/*already} to go" [for me, =/= "awready"]
>
>just to hammer home a point here:  this particular l-vocalization
>occurs in the speech of people who are not generally l-vocalizers --
>people like larry and me.
>
>a moment of entertainment: i little while back i got an indignant
>message from a correspondent incensed at my defense of "trepidatious"
>on Language Log some time ago.  the header of the message:
>   I assume you think "alright" is a word, too.
>
>(i've chosen not to respond.)
>
>arnold (zwicky at csli.stanford.edu)


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages
A-740 Wells Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: (517) 432-3099
Fax: (517) 432-2736
preston at msu.edu