Re: r --> z (was: English Changes or what into Conlangs)

At 11:21 am +0100 6/12/99, Grandsire, C.A. wrote:
[...]
>
>        In fact we have both words: "chaire" and "chaise". The second
>refers to
>the thing you're sitting on, whereas the first refers to a position, a
>job, generally in a university for a professor. Interesting,
Yes, interesting indeed.  I didn't know that - or if I once did, I'd
forgotten.  Thanks for the info.

It's interesting that the 'lower class' pronunciation was retained for the
common, everyday thing we sit on, but the realier "correct" pronunciation
was retained for the professorial chair.  I guess that 'chaise' did not
pass out of use since the distinction, once established, was found useful.

>I always
>thought those words weren't coincidental but I never found any evidence
>of it.
Now you know - you have to thank your forebears of the 16th century for
differentiating the two words   :-)

Ray.


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A mind which thinks at its own expense
will always interfere with language.
                   [J.G. Hamann 1760]
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