spicket and spigot

[Herb Stahlke]

I read the following query on the ATEG list, where high school and
college English teachers, and a few linguists, gather.  I told the
poster I'd pass her query on to this list and let her know what we get
in response.  Thanks for your help with this.  I don't have access to
DARE unless I drive 50 miles round trip to Ball State, which I don't
do a lot anymore, and I won't get there for about a week and a half
now.

Herb

Dear Regional Speakers:

I'm curious about the word "spicket."  When I recently used it in a
story, Microsoft refused to acknowledge "spicket" as a word.  I was
shocked!  Surely that big tall faucet-looking thing in the middle of a
field is called a spicket.  I had (was compelled) to go to an
encyclopedia wherein it explained that  "spicket" is a regionalism for
"spigot."

I am an Air Force brat and, having moved 17 times around the country
before I was 18, have never considered my language to adhere to any
particular region.  I called my 7 siblings who live all over the
country--out of the eight of us--2 say "spigot" and 6  say "spicket."
Perhaps it was the age when I acquired the word?  Perhaps Grandpa
Leavitt sent me to the "spicket" to get water for the horses when we
visited him in south central Utah?  Of course then it would make sense
that I would say "carn" and "warsh" for "corn" and "wash," but I
don't.

I'm just wondering how many out there say spicket...
and which regions they are from...

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