Posted on 12/10/2003 10:27:43 PM PST by JohnHuang2
At last, a scientific study of the lingo still spoken in an exotic empire is in the offing. "Speech study explores distinctions of Texas twang," said the headline in The New York Times.
According to the story under it, a couple of linguists out of San Antone - Guy Bailey and Jan Tillery - are working up a new study of what they call TXE, or Texas English, which they class as a sub-dialect of American Southern English. (It will no doubt surprise Texans to discover that they're sub-anything, even after this year's oh-so-satisfying Arkansas-Texas game, in that 38-28 order.)
But I digress, or rather meander, which is the proper Texican term. Meanwhile, back at the (Texas) ranch, linguists Bailey and Tillery have been deep into the hallmark of Texas speech, the flat I - as in naht for night, rahd for ride, and raht for right. Why, shore, just like raht cheer in Arkinsaw.
And don't forget all for oil. In the Ark-La-Tex, that pronunciation is compulsory; making a diphthong of the I by adding the y-sound to it in oil and night and ride and so harshly on, as in General American, marks one as a stranger in these extensive parts, podnuh. If you want to fit in, you kinda just glide over your I's. No need makin' 'em so sharp they'll stick out like a sore thumb, or a red-headed stepchild, or . . . well, supply your own idiom.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
And you know, the pity is, yonder is a legitimate English word and a pretty one too. There is nothing at all hick-ish about using it.
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