CHAT: [CHAT: SoCal] Re: † † † Re: Story - TCOAIW

Kendra wrote:

<<I don't know what M is, it isn't on my ... thingy. American R? *no idea*>>

Oh, but before that, I had *no* idea that the blue stuff would come out on
non-AOL people's computers.   I just switched to OSX, and it has its own
version of AOL, so maybe that's doing it.   I'm sorry about that.   :(

Anyway, [M] is the unrounded version of [u].   Most people I know from
Southern California have lost the rounding in their back vowels in most
cases--or they've fronted, in some cases, and kept their rounding (like in
"food", which often comes out something like [fy:d], though not as extreme).

<<That's probably a more common pronunciation. I would say "You'dn't've gone
if he did, would've you?," though. :)>>

Whoa!   You serious?   "Would've you..."   That sounds like Merry Olde
England.   ;)

<<Yep, Southern California. However, it may be interesting to note that
everyone else I know either speaks slowly (more common), or speaks in quick
bursts with lots of "ums" and repeated last words (less common.)>>

Hey!   You're the first one I've heard of besides me!   (Though, is Marc
Smith still at UCLA...?)   Where you at?   I'm from Orange County, though
since I go to Berkeley, the stigma's worn off.   ;)   Anyway, I don't think
it has to much to do with speed (American English is pretty slow as languages
go, anyway); just the way contractions are dealt with.   What I mean is, do
you think that someone who speaks more slowly would actually say, "Do not put
that there" or "You would not have gone if he did, would you have?"
(Actually, if you separate that out, makes it look like it should be "had"
rather than "did"...)   Course, this is all basically speculation.   Some
linguist should check up on this, though.   I think it'd be worthwhile.

-David

"imDeziZejDekp2wilDez ZejDekkinel..."
"You can celebrate anything you want..."
               -John Lennon

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