[Lexicog] Re: plough mud

[rtroike at EMAIL.ARIZONA.EDU]

David,

   I wouldn't be too fast to conclude that "pluff/plough" was never
pronounced like "plow/plough". The spelling "ou" was adopted from
French after the Norman Conquest to represent /u:/ (or /uw/, as I
prefer). This still survives in "through". The pronunciation of words
like "enough" and "rough" (with shortened vowel /U/ shifted to schwa)
shows the variable results of the loss of /x/. I would not be surprised
if "plow/plough" were not pronounced to rhyme with "rough" in some
places at some times. The modern pronunciation of "plow/plough" with /aw/
is a result of the Great Vowel Shift (which gave us /haws/ for "house").

   The spelling cited in the Scots dictionary of "plugh" could reflect
an original velar fricative /x/. Also, there is, as noted on this list,
a historical dictionary project of earlier Scots underway, which should
have more information.

   "Northern" (incl. Scots) words sometimes originated in the Norse
conquests of this territory, so the term could be pursued amonng
Scandinavian languages, as well as German (and German dialects), to
determine whether the original final consonant was /f/ or /x/.

   I was interested in the reference to Bluffton, since "bluff" for a
steep embankment along a river was the first recorded Americanism, and
was reported from that very area.

   Rudy



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