What I've Been Reading Instead of Cleaning My House

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Small Joys II: Attack of the Clones

I'm grateful for people who aren't homogenized Americans (you know, we all talk the same, look the same, dress the same, etc.) and still use local phrases and pronunciations.

I love that Nigel says ta-BLOID when referring to those trashy newspapers.

I love those that still say "fark" for fork.

I love people who say EYE-talian (you know, the ones with the yummy pasta).

I love that my mother-in-law talks like a character in the movie "Fargo" (don't you know).

I love that my father says "rut" beer.

10 comments:

Suzie Petunia said...

I found you through Rynell. I see we have a few friends in common. Nice art!

Linda said...

Oh ya, I live yust across da river from FARgo. Ya sure, yuu betcha! My friends say I've got da same accent, but by golly, I don't hear it...

Geo said...

Sometimes Rob says "bean" in place of "been." He is under the delusion that he's bean saying it that way since the beginning, but I know better. He is not a clone.

And you just reminded me. Last night I dreamed I walked into the studio and Rob was working in my patchwork floor-length cotton skirt from India. I'm pretty sure that would also eject him from the clone club.

Geo said...

P.S. And he looked good in it.

rabidrunner said...

I'm a big fan of the accessory "ta" when conjugating a verb. As in:

- Over ta
- Down ta
- Up ta

Lois said...

SUZIE -- glad you like the art. It's amazing how all these bloggers have people in common!

LINDA -- oh, you crack me up. You sound just like my grandma-in-law!

GEO -- yeah, Rob has delusions of being a Canadian. Are you sure you were dreaming? I think Rob really WAS wearing your skirt.

RABID -- yes, got"ta" love the "ta." I also like the appearance of a random "T" at the end of "across" as in, "Look at that house acrosst the street!"

Elizabeth-W said...

Hi, I just saw your comment on my tic post and wanted to come over and say thanks.
I've been enjoying reading your blog. You sound like a delight!
Many years ago while still an English major at BYU I took a linguistics class and loved learning all about the Utah accent. Feel/fell is sort of the same word--stuff like that. Remember Pres Benson always encouraged us to read the Book of Marmon? :) Maybe he wasn't from Utah...in any case, it always made me giggle.

Lois said...

ELIZABETH -- glad you enjoy the blog, I've really enjoyed reading yours. Yes, I love those accents! I'll have to listen for the fell/feel thing, I've never noticed that before.

Am'n2Deep said...

Hey, my 13 year old son started saying "bean" a couple of years ago! What's that about?

Also, my dad used to love to sneak the letter 'r' into a few of his words such as "torlet" for toilet, or "warsh" for wash. Only a few things could get him worked up--teasing him about this was one.

Lois said...

AM'N'2DEEP -- my dad says "torlet," too (actually, he says it more like "terlet"). Used to drive me crazy. Bad enough that he would say toilet instead of bathroom, but then to pronounce it that way to boot! Too embarrassing. Of course, now I say it like that because I think it's cute.