msj@warwick.UUCP (Mike Joy) (02/17/86)
>>> Then there was the difference between Root (Rooot) & Root (Rut). The >>> folks would always correct us if we slipped into Rut. But other people >>> used it. (BTW: as in plant roots). >> I have a friend from Atlanta who corrects me every time I pronounce >> "root" and "roof" with the vowel from "book" rather that "tooth". >> He says that I pronounce it the way hillbillies do, and that educated >> people know better. If I listen to people from my home town (southeastern >> Wisconsin) they all speak as I do. In fact, the "tooth" sound strikes >> me as a bit pretentious, as though the speaker were trying to sound >> overly educated. Are we all hillbillies up here or has my Southern >> friend just decided his way is the only right way in spite of evidence >> to the contrary? Over what geographical areas does one pronunciation >> or the other hold sway? How about radio and tv announcers: what do they >> get taught to say? >Growing up in Montana, I always pronounced "root" and "roof" as >in "look." It wasn't until I moved to California that I heard >the "loose" pronunciation of these words. If this is hillbilly, >so be it. (No Montanan need apologise for the land he lives in!) I don't understand. ALL the words with 'oo' mentioned here can have at least 2 different pronunciations, and I can't imagine who's saying what in what way ... ! For the record, my current understanding of pronunciation is: Word English (OED) Scottish "Posh" English root rooot rooot rut roof rooof rooof ruf tooth toooth tuth tuth look luk loook luk loose looose looose looose book buk boook buk But other variations are common ...