lawyer/liar confluence

[Wilson Gray]

But, Charlie, wouldn't they more likely have been saying "loiyer"
[lOij at r] and not "liar" [laij at r]?

-Wilson

On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 9:54 AM, Charles Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  Poster:       Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
>  Subject:      Re: lawyer/liar confluence
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  "Lawyer is to be pronounced _Lyer_ as is common now in some counties"--John Harland,_A Glossary of Words Used in Swaledale [etc.]_ (English Dialect Society, vol. 4 [1870]: 75).
>
>  The confluence occured with some frequency in satiric epigrams and dramatic repartee of the 17th century.
>
>  --Charlie
>  _____________________________________________________________
>
>
>  ---- Original message ----
>  >Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:22:44 -0700
>  >From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>  >
>  >
>  >Several female members of the polygamous Texas sect appeared on Fox & Friends earlier today. One spoke of being unable to see a "lawyer," but the stressed vowel was so unrounded that the word was virtually identical to a Texas pronunciation of "liar." At first, that's what I thought she said.
>  >
>  >  The woman's phonology was otherwise unremarkable,
>  >
>  >  I wouldn't go so far as to call this homophony "phonological justice," but it comes close.
>  >
>  >  JL
>
>
>
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