Spelling pronunciation spot-check

Charles Doyle cdoyle at UGA.EDU
Wed Aug 16 19:16:21 UTC 2006


The word "salmonella" comes from the surname (viz. Daniel Salmon's; what a tribute!).  The word does not, in fact, (as it should) mean "little fish swimming upstream and dodging bears."

--Charlie
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---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:51:54 -0400
>From: Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
>Subject: Re: Spelling pronunciation spot-check
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>

>>I have a vague recollection of this being regional, but what region it's found in, I couldn't say. Sometime in the past 30 years, though, I saw a PEAS-like map of where consonantal L in "salmon" is attested.


>>
>On the latter, it might be relevant that a number of people with the last name of Salmon (one who's a grad student here and of course a subscriber to the list, and another who's a well-known philosopher of language) pronounce the "l" as in "salmonella".  Although I wouldn't imagine for that reason.  (I think it's safe to assume that Will doesn't have a sister named Ella...)
>
>LH

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