Re: USAGE: Language revival

John:
> Don Blaheta wrote:
>
> > Not just "elves", but knives, wolves, and scarves, as well.  In fact, I
> > completely fail to understand why "dwarfs" would be correct [...]
>
> I'll see your "elves", "knives", "wolves", and "scarves", and I'll even
> spot you "calves", "hooves", "leaves", "lives", "loaves", "scarves",
> "selves", and their compounds.
>
> And then I'll raise you "bailiffs", "beliefs", "bluffs", "briefs",
> "buffs", "chefs", "chiefs", "cliffs", "cuffs", "goofs", "griefs",
> "gulfs", "kerchiefs", "motifs", "muffs", "plaintiffs", "proofs",
> "puffs", "reefs", "roofs", "serfs", "sheriffs", "sniffs", "stiffs",
> "stuffs", "tariffs", several words in "-offs" (such as "layoffs",
> "playoffs", and "tradeoffs"), and all *their* compounds.
>
> "Beefs" and "beeves" are both in use, as are "staffs" and "staves".
> In both cases the regular plural in "-fs" is the more common form.
I'll grant you only those with the /f/ after L or R:

"elves", "wolves", "scarves", "calves", "selves",

&

turves

versus

"gulfs", "serfs"

&

pelfs, scurfs, turfs, ...

Nik:
> Incidentally, I read that "forehead" was once pronounced something like
> /forId/, with the h being re-introduced.
When I say "forehead" it sounds exactly like most Americans (not Bostonians)
saying "fard". And likewise "horrid" and "hard". (Not typically British,
this, though.)

Ray:
> 'Twas always /'fOrId/ when I was a youngster, just as tortoises were
always
> /'tO:t@zIs/ (or /'tOrt@zIs/ among the old-timers :)
I was horrified when my son started saying /'tO:tOIz/, but for me they're
/'tO:t@s@z/. Isn't there some pun in one of the Alice books about "tortoise"
and "taught us"?

> Strangely, while I've got(ten) used to /Oftn=/ and find nothing very odd
> about it - except I say /Ofn=/ - /'fO:hEd/ and /'tO:tojz/ sound very
> effected to me
They're nigh on universal among the young. In class, I ask "Who says [X]"
(where X is /Ofn=/, /fOrId/, /tO:t@s/); noone answers & I say "really?
noone?" and then someone says "my granddad does" & one thinks sic transit
gloria monday.

> - and as for /'vajnj@d/ - ach!!
Never heard it. But I'm a /weIsk@Ut/ sayer. How about "turquoise"? We're
probably united in our disgust at /'t3:kw&z/~/'t3:kwA:z/, but I'd have
thought I'm close to being the only /'t3:kwOIs/ sayer.

--And.