George Washeengton's Spich empeedeemint

[Wilson Gray]

And then there's the problem of why the suburb of Boston whose name
was once spelled as "Brantry" came to receive its current spelling of
"Braintree." I tried out the older spelling on my downhome relatives
and they agreed that [breintrI] was the way to go.

-Wilson

On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 4:01 PM, Dennis Preston <preston at msu.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  Poster:       Dennis Preston <preston at MSU.EDU>
>  Subject:      Re: George Washeengton's Spich empeedeemint
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  Although the pin-pen merger appears to be old (as is also perhaps the
>  [ej] in "bring"), there is little evidence that the major features of
>  the Southern Vowel Shift would have been in place at Washington's
>  time. That said, Ron's sarcasm is well-put. Even my grampaw (the
>  hillbilly one, not the Hungarian) had many of my speech impediments.
>
>  dInIs
>
>
>
>  >---------------------- Information from the mail header
>  >-----------------------
>  >Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>  >Poster:       RonButters at AOL.COM
>  >Subject:      George Washeengton's Spich empeedeemint
>  >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  >
>  >Probably he could not even say his own name properly or even pronounce the
>  >condition that afflicted him; doubtless also he said "pin" for "pen" and
>  >"breeng" for "bring." All people from Virginia have speech
>  >"impediments," and the
>  >natives have had them for centuries.
>  >
>  >In a message dated 2/22/08 10:13:19 AM, AAllan at AOL.COM writes:
>  >
>  >
>  >>  In the Writer's Almanac this morning, Garrison Keillor said that George
>  >>  Washington had a speech impediment. In particular, he mixed i's and e's,
>  >>  both in
>  >>  speaking and in writing.
>  >>
>  >>  I hadn't heard about this before. Anyone know about it?
>  >>
>  >>  - Allan Metcalf
>  >>
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >**************
>  >Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
>  >
>  >(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
>  >2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>  >
>  >------------------------------------------------------------
>  >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
>
>
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                              -Sam'l Clemens

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