Old pronuciation of "Los Angeles"

[Dave Wilton]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2005 8:18 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Old pronuciation of "Los Angeles"
>
>
> The 1935 film _Bordertown_ (with Paul Muni and Betet Davis - fine
> period performances) is partially set in L.A.  My attention was
> caught by the fact that a snooty villain pronounced it with a  /
> g /  rather than the now universal / J /  (if I may use that
> ad-hoc symbol).
>
> The quasi-Spanish origin of the pronunciation isn't the question.
> (The actor was clearly using an English pronunciation and not
> trying consciously to imitate Spanish.)
>
> To me it sounded bizarre, but I'm pretty sure I've heard it in
> other old movies. The question is how widespread was this, and
> when did it go away ?

The narrator on Firesign Theater's "The Further Adventures of Nick Danger"
(the flip side of the 1969 album "How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When
You're Not Anywhere At All") uses the / g / pronunciation. He's clearly
imitating the style of a 1930s radio serial and part of the conceit is that
the pronunciation is no longer current (but still recognizeable, albeit
humorously, to a 1969 audience):

"NARRATOR: Los Angeles, he walks again by night. Out of the fog, into the
smog. (cough) Relentlessly, ruthlessly (NICK: I wonder where Ruth is),
doggedly (woof woof), toward his weekly meeting with the unknown. At Fourth
and Drucker he turns left. At Drucker and Fourth he turns right. He crosses
MacArthur Park and walks into a great sandstone building (NICK: ooh - my
nose). Groping for the door (ring) he steps inside (ring) climbs the
thirteen steps to his office (ring). He walks in (ring). He's ready for
mystery (ring). He's ready for excitement (ring). He's ready for anything
(ring). He's... (answers phone)

"NICK: 'Nick Danger, third eye.'

"CALLER: 'I want to order a pizza to go and no anchovies.'

"NICK: 'No anchovies? You've got the wrong man. I spell my name Danger!'
(HANGS UP).

"CALLER: 'What?'"

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net