Worcester", Mass.

[Joel S. Berson]

At 11/14/2011 11:53 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>On Nov 14, 2011, at 11:40 PM, James Harbeck wrote:
>
> >> My daughter (Clark U., '07) isn't around to ask, but I've never
> >> heard it pronounced any way other than [wUst at r] or [wUst@] by rhotic
> >> and non-rhotic locals respectively.
> >
> > Really? When I lived in Boston ISTM they tended to say /wIst@/
> > (you'll find some Google hits with "Wistah").
>
>Sorry; you're right about the vowel, which does indeed vary along
>the front/back parameter.  I was focusing on that first /r/, or the
>lack thereof.

Proves I'm not local.  I say [wUst at r].  And Victor, do the very
recent "locals" pronounce it Wore-Chester"?  :-)

Joel


>LH
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org