Fricative voicing in *houses*

[Wilson Gray]

You have me there, Carole. I'm a Catholic, so I'm not as familiar as might
be expected with Gospel music. I recognize the styles of various groups and
I know the titles of the Gospel originals of songs that have been turned
into R&B by Ray Charles and such lesser lights as, e.g., Barbara George. My
inclination is to regard your example as one from the wild. On the other
hand, it might be the case that this song was composed. And, if it was
composed, it might have been influenced by the usage where the composer
lived, or some such.

My basic claim is that a black speaker is more likely to use, "I'm through,"
etc., whereas a white speaker is more likely to use, "I'm done," etc.

Of course, this isn't the kind of claim that can be proved one way or the
other, absent a poll of all speakers of the relevant dialects. To borrow one
of Larry's favorite phrases, "Your  mileage may vary."

-Wilson


On 5/10/06, Carole Crompton <crompton at sover.net> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Carole Crompton <crompton at SOVER.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Fricative voicing in *houses*
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Dear Wilson and list,
>
> Do black gospel songs count?
> And if so, is that in the wild or in print?
> And does the "with" change the issue?
>
> "Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world
> the troubles of the world.
> the troubles of the world
> OH
> Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world
> Goin' home to live with God."
>
> I don't know/remember the source of this--we just sing it in church.
>
> CMC
>
>
>
> > though I haven't heard any examples of blacks using "I'm done" in the
> > wild,
> >>
> > -Wilson
> >
> >
>
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