Can some native USA English speakers say "awe" or not

[Benjamin Zimmer]

Pronounced as "lawl", of course.


On 10/27/06, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> LOL!
>
> Tom Zurinskas wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> > Poster:       Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM>
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > So you must have said "body" instead of "bawdy" to be misunderstood by
> > everyone, although you would swear you're saying "bawdy".
> >
> > Now if I said to you repeat exactly what I say, and I say words "body" and
> > "bawdy" as in m-w.com, could you hear the difference.  If not then I assume
> > you wouldn't say them differently either.  But if you could hear the
> > difference, could you speak them as you heard them and not say "body" "body"
> > because you can't speak what you heard.  I assume that if you hear the
> > difference, you can speak it.  Like in singing.  If you can't hear the notes
> > how can you sing them.
> >
> > Tom
> >
> >
> >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> >> Subject:      Re: Can some native USA English speakers say "awe" or not
> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> Sometimes I have similar thoughts, though opposite.
> >>
> >> One day I was in a room of sociolinguistics student and a SL professor
> >> and made a reference to the "bawdy" language of Shakespeare. Every
> >> single person thought I meant "body" despite the fact that "body
> >> language" and 'bawdy language" have different stress patterns. And they
> >> were in MY native dialect territory of Seattle; transplants, every one.
> >>
> >> Another way I have similar thoughts is my amazement when TV newscasters
> >> can't pronounce the "t" in tsunami. But then I realize that just like I
> >> can't pronounce that "awe" sound, they can't say syllable initial "ts".
> >> I imagine they would have similar trouble pronouncing the "tl" in Tlingit.
> >>
>
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