"pellow" and "melk"

[Alison Murie]

>Absolutely common in the midwest.  In northern Wisconsin (away from the
>Chicago influence), the eh for ih switch is pretty prevalent, and usually
>patterns with pronouncing "bagel" with an a like the one in "bag".
>
>On 11/23/06, K Reynolds <kreynolds3 at houston.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       K Reynolds <kreynolds3 at HOUSTON.RR.COM>
>> Subject:      "pellow" and "melk"
>>
>>
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>> I was born in NW Ohio and lived there for 28 years before moving to =
>> Texas in 1984. My wife, from Houston, takes great joy in correcting my =
>> pronunciation of the words "pillow" and "milk," which I pronounce with =
>> an "e" like that in "mellow." My sister says "melk" also. I'm curious if =
>> anyone has any insight on whether this is common to the midwest or just =
>> a family thing.
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>> Kerry Reynolds
>> Manager -- Communication Services
>> Houston ISD
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
 ~~~~~~~~~~~
I used to hear "melk"  among kids in NE in the 30s & 40s, though not, I
think, among adults.  I don't remember it in SW OH  in the 60s & 70s, in
either generation.  I don't remember other /il/  words with this sound with
the possible exception of children/cheldren.
 "Milk" sometimes  has the /l/ almost lost in a kind of lisp, so that /il/
becomes a diphthong which I don't know how to represent.  Rather like
"i-oo".  That pronunciation is not associated, in my experience, with any
one region.
AM

+ DIE FOR OIL?   * * *   LET GEORGE DO IT!  +

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