I spent a large part of my language-forming childhood in Yorkshire where the glottal stop is a very important part of life. It's main use there is to replace t' definite article. Here, however, it is most often used to replace a 't' in middle of a word where modified by a preceding consonant sound. There is a radio advert that takes its use to new levels though. "Why spend your time doing things you hate? Come to Fow N Laser!" I nearly crash the car every time I hear it, not because I'm finding a pen to write the phone number down or even laughing - just trying to replicate the tortured (to my ears at least) pronunciation of "fountain". 'T' sounds in general are in short supply here as I've mentioned before. Yesterday, one of the people we see regularly at work asked us to say 'bud-err' just to hear one pronounced in all it's glory.
The snow has just about gone under the onslaught of a day of rain. the snowmen are just overgrown snowballs now. However, it may be that before the melt they will be buried as (hard as it is to believe at the moment) we may get a storm tomorrow night bringing another 8 inches or more.
Pop pun #6 for title watchers - well it is Day 64 - do you still need me?
It's taken me all day to work out the glottal stop thing - what on earth is 'Fow n laser' or 'budd-err'? Thankfully Nicola has just said it in her best NY accent, so now I understand!!
ReplyDeleteYes we do still need you, even though you might be geddin on a bit?! Those Beadles were great, wern't they!
Adrian
I didn't know Nicola could do a NY accent - I look forward to hearing it ;-).
ReplyDelete