bobsledge, bobsled, bobsleigh. One could argue for some sort of attrition here. [bob.slEdzh] > [bob.slEd] > [bob.sle]. Shades of Gillie'ron's bee. What's next? *[bob.sl] > *[bob.s] > *[bob] > *[bo] > *[b] > *[pf] > *[8^o]? ------------------------------------------------------------ The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org