On 11/19/20 5:06 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
For a while, I lived near "Bawlmer" (Baltimore)
On Thu, 19 Nov 2020, Liam Proven via cctalk wrote:
Huh. I did not know Baltimore was not pronounced boll-tea-more.
I was told that the "correct" pronunciation was BAWL-tim-more
Well, admittedly, there was a time half a century ago, when certain
forces objected to the "MISpronunciation". Radio staff, in response to
the pressure, said bawl - TEA-more.
Half a century ago, there were horse drawn rag carts, a lot of
cobblestone streets, giant mutant rats at the harbor, and major
renovation being started. Along route 40, and many other major streets,
there were dozens of blocks slated for demolition. They developed a
style of their own; they took all of the doors from inside a condemned
group of houses and nailed those together to make a fence. So, there
would be block after block of multicolored door-fence from street corner
to street corner, punctuated at intervals by marble doorsteps.
I have heard that the harbor is now a tourist destination; that probably
includes a reduction of the rat population.
Long Island (NY) was pronounced Lawn-GUY-land
If you want a real hoot, try listening to some Old Time Radio.
In Gunsmoke: Arkansas == ARE-can-sass
In most detective programs until at least the late
50's: Los Angeles == LAS ahn-gall-lees
And let's not forget Kato, the Green Hornets faithful val-let.
English always was and still is a very fluid language.
bill
