Beh-ril, burr'uhl, and burl

[Joel S. Berson]

Perhaps my reference to weather readers was too obscure, or else
James Smith's mention of Salt Lake City--where I assume they have
little interest in storms of the Atlantic Ocean--misled.  I meant
tropical storm Beryl.

Joel

At 7/21/2006 09:07 PM, you wrote:
>I missed the start of this, but I assume the word is "barrel"?  In which
>case, maybe we have the near-merger Labov talks about in Philadelphia and
>environs whereby Mary, merry, marry, and Murray all have the schwar sound
>(i.e. rhyme with Murray)?  He has a perception test using Upper Merion and
>"Murray in" as near-rhymes.  I've also heard 'were' and 'where' as
>near-homophones, both with the 'Murray' sound.
>
>Beverly
>
>At 03:20 PM 7/21/2006, you wrote:
>>I, of Salt Lake City but edjicated, say "berr'-uhl".
>>
>>
>>
>>--- "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET> wrote:
>>
>> > Do we have another "merry, Mary, marry"?  Various
>> > television
>> > personalities (are news readers and weather mappers
>> > "personalities"?)
>> > in the Northeast are saying
>> >
>> > beh-ril (like "trill")
>> > burr'uhl (like "mull") --many speakers
>> >     and
>> > burl (as in Ives the folk singer)
>> >
>> > Are these regional?  (I, of New York City but
>> > educated, say "beh-ril").
>> >
>> > Joel
>> >
>> >
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>>
>>James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
>>South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
>>jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
>>                                |or slowly and cautiously.
>>
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