The “R”
Factor
This
subject is of little or no value – but I find it interesting. It investigates the letter “R”. Why is that interesting? It is, in my opinion, the most illusive and
confusing letter in the alphabet. Some folks add it where it doesn’t belong and
others leave it out where it should go. Let’s look at some examples.
The first that comes to mind is the change of sound exemplified by none other than the famous star of the big screen – Elmer Fudd. He changed the R to a W – as in Wabbit. And no less than Barbara Walters had a similar problem with that pesky letter.
Another example might be called the “add it on”. Let us look at a typical New Jersey native. If one asks this guy if he knew if a bus passed by – he might say “yes, I saw-r it.” It seems that R is unnecessarily added. President Kennedy was famous for an add it – with his famous pronunciation of Cube-r instead of Cuba. When a New-Yorker tells you where he is from – He says “New Yoke”-- leaving out the R. And if we visit Indiana for a while, we will find those folks will stick it in where it doesn’t belong as they “Warsh” their dishes.
British people add a little R sound at the end
of the word “No”. (NO-r) Otherwise, they
gloss over the R – and “Horses” become “Hosses”. The French put it on the word
for black –Noir – or four – quatre -- but just glance over it. There are lots of examples like that in
France. The Spanish like to double the R sometimes and roll it around on their
tongues. Scotsmen do something similar –
as do the Irish. Germans swallow the R
sound like they are gagging on it.
But back
home – lets go down south where the R is smoothed over as though it isn’t there. A New Orleans "Nolens" lady might call you “Shugah”’ A
Texan will cross the “Rivah”. A Floridian will warn you of a “Spidah”
crawling around. Let us go driving up to
Maine and find a place to “Pak yah Cah”.
I am
certainly not an entomologist -- or it etymologist? I think one is for words and one for
bugs. Well, that pesky “R” does bug me a lot
sometimes.
See ya
Lateh – Allegateh…
From the
Heart of Olaf Hart…
