tmoody@sjuvax.UUCP (T. Moody) (11/21/85)
[] Back in Rhode Island (actually pronounced > r'DIsland ), there is an unusual consonant transformation, which I've never heard anywhere else. In certain contexts, the 'r' sound is changed to a rather soft 'v' sound. As elsewhere in New England, the letter 'r' doesn't get pronounced at all when it is after a vowel and before a consonant. The transformation occurs in words where the 'r' is before a vowel, but not (I think) at the beginning of the word. Thus, "bring" becomes "bving", "area" becomes "avea", and "Cranston" becomes "Kvanston." The 'v' sound is, as I say, somewhat muted, retaining some 'w-ness', which leads me to think that this transformation is an extreme case of the Elmer Fudd/Baba Wawa syndrome. Since the EF/BW is fairly common, I wouldn't expect this transformation to be restricted to R.I. But I've never heard it anywhere else. Of course, I don't get around as much as you folks. Even though I am a transplanted r'DIslander, I don't think I ever used this pronunciation. It sure sounds strange to me now, when I go back there. Anybody who watched last year's "60 Minutes" interview with R.I. attorney general Arlene Violet got an earful of this transformation, which is not restricted to the uneducated. Todd Moody | {allegra|astrovax|bpa|burdvax}!sjuvax!tmoody Philosophy Department | St. Joseph's U. | "I couldn't fail to Philadelphia, PA 19131 | disagree with you less."
michaelm@bcsaic.UUCP (michael b maxwell) (12/02/85)
In article <2554@sjuvax.UUCP> tmoody@sjuvax.UUCP (T. Moody) writes: >Back in Rhode Island (actually pronounced > r'DIsland ), there is an >unusual consonant transformation, which I've never heard anywhere >else. In certain contexts, the 'r' sound is changed to a rather soft >'v' sound. I can't tell for sure from your description, but it sounds like it might be a bilabial fricative. The usual "v" in English is a labiodental fricative; if you stand in front of a mirror, you can see your lower lip touch your upper teeth when you make it. In a bilabial fricative, your lower lip would almost touch your upper lip. A "w" is similar, but your lips are rounded (and definitely don't close). If this is the sound "r" turns into, I'd agree it's a very unusual shift. -- Mike Maxwell Boeing Artificial Intelligence Center ...uw-beaver!uw-june!bcsaic!michaelm