Re: irregularities

Robert Hailman wrote:
>Nik Taylor wrote:
> >
> > Elliott Lash wrote:
> > > sleep > slept
> > > leave > left
> > > dream > dreamt
> > > *learn > learnt (learned)
> > > meet > met
> > > keep > kept
> > > read > read
> >
> > Are you saying that you say /rEt/ for the past tense of "read"?  If so,
> > I don't think I've ever heard that usage.
>
>I haven't heard that one either, but it does seem quasi-feasible. I'm
>reminded of the Mr. Show sketch "The 2000 Pound Old Man.":
>
>"Did you meet Napoleon?"
>"Met him! I /Et/ him!" where /Et/ is "ate."
>
>Of course, that's a strech, I doubt anyone on the show says that
>regularly - but if that's possible in a joke, /rEt/ is probable
>elsewhere. It certainly does fit the pattern.
My English disctionary from school, which claims to give RP pronunciation*,
gives [et] as the pronunciation of _ate_. Can't recall me actually HEARING
that pronunciation anywhere, tho'.

* This is a nice example of the "RAS syndrome" (RAS=Redundant Acronyme
Syndrome).

                                                     Andreas
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