ADS-L Digest - 20 Feb 2009 to 21 Feb 2009 (#2009-53)

[Bill Palmer]

I do not doubt that it could have originated as a non-rhotic form of
"weren't", but it is now too widespread to be simply a result of slurring,
IMHO.

Bill P

Original Message -----
From: "Your Name" <ROSESKES at AOL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:38 AM
Subject: Re: ADS-L Digest - 20 Feb 2009 to 21 Feb 2009 (#2009-53)


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Your Name <ROSESKES at AOL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: ADS-L Digest - 20 Feb 2009 to 21 Feb 2009 (#2009-53)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In a message dated 2/22/2009 12:00:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> LISTSERV at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU writes:
>
>
>>In North Carolina, where I live, and particularly in the eastern  part,
>>there
>>is a tendency to use "won't" to mean "was not" or "were  not".
>>Ex: Q: "Who ate that last piece of pie?"
>>     A: "It won't me".
>>
>>Does this practice exist  anywhere else? I have lived in and travelled
>>thru
>>much of the South,  and don't recall hearing it anywhere else.
>>
>
>
>
> Sounds like a slurring between "it wasn't me" and "it weren't me," both
> of
> which I've heard.  Possible?
>
> Rosemarie
>
> I'm like a  roasted marshmallow: crusty on the outside, but a big softie
> on
> the  inside.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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