[net.nlang] Obscure English

dawes (12/17/82)

On the subject of unexpected pronunciations of place-names
in England, may I offer the following (from "The Lure of the
Limerick" by W. S. Baring-Gould)

There was a young fellow from Salisbury
Whose manners were quite halisbury-scalisbury
He wandered 'round Hampshire
Without any pampshire
'Til the parson compelled him to walisbury.




(Hint - the denizens of Salisbury and Hampshire pronounce those
 words "Sarum" and "Hants")