Re: dialectal diversity in English

Tristan McLeay scripsit:

> >>[DVmz fA:tn w@rdz bVb]
> >
> Them's fighten words Bob.
That's "bub", and is one of those words that can indicate either
friendliness or contempt.  It's pretty much only used in direct address,
and only of younger or equal males.

> What does [b&:gVrz] mean though??
"Bagger" is short for "carpetbagger", which was originally applied to
Northerners who moved South after the Civil War (N.) / War Between the
States (S.) in order to make lots of money in the depressed Southern
economy.  Stereotypically, carpetbaggers carried all their belongings
in carpet bags, i.e.  bags made of carpet material (which were in common
use in the 19th century).

More generally, it's now applied to non-locals who move in and immediately
start meddling in local politics.

--
John Cowan   jcowan@reutershealth.com   http://www.reutershealth.com
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        anything, you can put the telegram down as a forgery."