"Fo'ward"

[Wilson Gray]

In Wilmington, which, with Harbor City and San Pedro, is one of three
towns that make up Los Angeles Harbor, there is a bar with that name,
which it spelled "Fo'c'sle" in neon tubing. Seeing that was my first
clue that the word was not pronounced "fore castle." I was 21, at the
time.

Speaking of pronunciation, note that, in L.A., there are two accepted
pronunciations of San Pedro: [sam 'pEDro] and [sAn 'pidrou]. If you
say [sAn pejdrou], everybody will know that you're F[resh]O[ff
the]B[us].

There are two versions of the song, "Hot Rod Lincoln." One begins, "I
left San Peedro" and the other begins "I left San Paydro." It's easy
to tell which singer is an Angeleño.

-Wilson

On 12/13/06, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "Fo'ward"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Forecastle" in still much in use but nowadays usually spelled "fo'c'sle."  I have always heard and said / 'foksl /, but I know a formerly nautical couple who say
>    / 'fok at sl / with three syllables. Of course, their sailboat didn't have one.
>
>   JL
>
> Alison Murie <sagehen at WESTELCOM.COM> wrote:
>   ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Alison Murie
> Subject: "Fo'ward"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I hear "foward" for forward in the (AE) speech of people (who generally
> give /r/ its r-ness) more and more these days. Except for "Fuggeddaboudit"
> I can't think of other places where this is happening. When forecastles
> might have turned up in day-to-day speech, I understand it was pronounced
> "fo'c'sle", but I wouldn't know from my own experience!
> AM
>
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--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Sam'l Clemens

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