Re: I'm back, and Tairezazh update ...

Tristan wrote:
>>PS Can anybody enlighten me as to the etymology of the word "blackguard",
>>and why it, according to my sister's dictionary at least, is
>>pronounced as
>>if "blaggard"?
>
>It's a compound of the words 'black' and 'guard', hence the spelling.
>Many compounds' pronunciation is reduced to something less transparent;
>cf. 'cupboard' or the earlier pronunciation of 'waistcoat' ('wesket').
>As in 'cupboard', the two consonants merged. Just language change in
>action. (I find it odd, though, that the second syllable of 'blackguard'
>retains its value (/bl&ga:d/)* whereas 'cupboard' becomes /kab@d/. Just
>English at work, I guess.)
>
>*Disclaimer: I've never used this word. My pronunciation is based on the
>one in the Macquarie Dictionary, as is my derivation. (My reading of
>your '"blaggard"' was actually /bl&g@d/.)
Funnily, the actual spelling in my sister's dictionary was "_black_-guard"
(where underlining represents italicization), which I unthinkingly assumed
meant ['bl&g@d] ...

                                              Andreas

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