Fw: [ADS-L] "slurring"?

[Laurence Horn]

At 12:20 PM -0500 2/22/09, Bill Palmer wrote:
>I hasten to classify myself as an "amateur", but one with a better than
>average knowledge of language.
>
>In my foreign language studies some (many) years ago, I recall phonetic
>realizations varying according to speed and carefulness of articulation...a
>phrase pronounced one way under conditions of careful speech, and maybe
>another way with careless and/or rapid speech.
>
>I will concede that this may be no longer precise or scientific enough.
>
>However, I believe you understand the concept of what we are saying here, so
>can you provide a more current or linguistically acceptable term?
>
>Bill Palmer

a fast speech reduction or fast speech phenomenon, maybe?  In the
biz, "slurring" is a bit of a slur because of its prescriptivist echo.

LH

>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <ronbutters at AOL.COM>
>To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:11 AM
>Subject: Fw: [ADS-L] "slurring"?
>
>>---------------------- Information from the mail
>>header -----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       ronbutters at AOL.COM
>>Subject:      Fw: [ADS-L] "slurring"?
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>But "careless speech" is not a term that has any scientific basis or use.
>>It explains nothing whatever.
>>Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET>
>>
>>Date:         Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:44:25
>>To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Subject:      Re: [ADS-L] "slurring"?
>>
>>
>>Altho I wasn't the first to use the term in this particular thread, let me
>>substitute "careless speech"
>>
>>Bill Palmer
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <ronbutters at AOL.COM>
>>To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 10:31 AM
>>Subject: "slurring"?
>>
>>>---------------------- Information from the mail
>>>header -----------------------
>>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>Poster:       ronbutters at AOL.COM
>>>Subject:      "slurring"?
>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>What do y'all mean by "slurring"? It refers informally to the speech of
>>>the brain-damaged and drunks -- which is not a significant cause of
>>>linguistic change.
>>>------Original Message------
>>>From: Bill Palmer
>>>Sender: ADS-L
>>>To: ADS-L
>>>ReplyTo: ADS-L
>>>Subject: Re: [ADS-L] ADS-L Digest - 20 Feb 2009 to 21 Feb 2009 (#2009-53)
>>>Sent: Feb 22, 2009 7:43 AM
>>>
>>>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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>>>
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>>>
>>>Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>>>
>>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
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>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
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>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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