"Blawg"

[Charles Doyle]

Of dInIs's generation, I too pronounce "fog" with an open "O" and "smog"--at least some of the time--with /a/. I remember being intrigued upon discovering (when I was in my early 20's) that J. R. R. Tolkein had named his dragon "Smaug."

My mother, from the lowlands of Arkansas (specifically, the town of Hope!), insisted on /a/ for "hog" and "log" (as well as "sausage" and "laundry")--but not "dog" or "frog"--whereas my father, from the hills of Arkansas, had open "O" for all those words.

--Charlie
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---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:47:46 -0500
>From: Dennis Preston <preston at MSU.EDU>
>Subject: Re: "Blawg"
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Dennis Preston <preston at MSU.EDU>
>Subject:      Re: "Blawg"
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Fog and smog are good examples of my early-vesus-late suggestion. Fog
>is always open-o for me, and I knew the word when I was a kid. I
>still don't know how to pronounce 'smog,' which I learned much later
>(Course They wadn't none around Louisivlle.)
>
>dInIs
>
>
>
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       Doug Harris <cats22 at FRONTIERNET.NET>
>>Subject:      Re: "Blawg"
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Some of us pronounce the word describing a particularly misty
>>atmospheric condition to rhyme with dog, whether or not it comes
>>on little cat feet.
>>(the other) doug
>>---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>At 12/30/2007 11:21 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>>We effete easterners (or me, anyway) also distinguish two
>>>collections, and frequency/early acquisition are relevant variables
>>>for us too, but playing out in a rather imbalanced way.  I have /dOg/
>>>with open-o and...that's it.  The other -ogs all have /a/.  So not
>>>only doesn't "blog" rhyme with "dog", but nothing else does either!?
>>>Did I realize this?
>>>
>>>Actually there might be local Indian names in New England whose last
>>>syllable end in things like -paug that would rhyme with "dog".  Or if
>>>I were pronouncing PAUG [the acronym for the Portland Access Users
>>>Group, the Professional Auto-CAD Users Group, or the Philadelphia
>>>Auto-CAD Users Group] or PAWG [Pissed Americans With Guns] that would
>>>as well.  For -og words, though, "dog" stands alone, it appears.
>>>Anyone else share this weird idiolect?  Have we already discussed
>>>this?
>>
>>I too, another effete easterner, share this -- but I don't think it's
>>weird.  (As a freshman at Columbia, I had to submit to a speaking
>>test, which I passed except for a caution about my "ng"s -- too "g"ey.)
>>
>>There is Ponkapoag (Pond, Golf Course) south of Boston, misspelled
>>also on the Web as "Ponkapaug".  But -- although I don't hear it said
>>much these days; perhaps someone can phone the golf course -- the
>>memories of my youth say it's like "log", not "dog".
>>
>>Joel
>>
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>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>--
>Dennis R. Preston
>University Distinguished Professor
>Department of English
>Morrill Hall 15-C
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI 48864 USA
>
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