Posted on 03/25/2009 11:49:00 AM PDT by JoeProBono
After more than a century of tedious work, the end is finally near for a group of University of Wisconsin researchers.
They're creating a regional dictionary, for the entire country and cataloging all of our similarities and our differences.
It all started back in 1889, when the American Dialect Society began to write the Dictionary of American Regional English.
Joan Houston Hall, the Chief Editor says, "there is nothing like it anywhere else."
For eight decades, the project went virtually nowhere, until Professor Frederick Cassidy got involved.
That's when the project picked up steam.
"There will always be regional and social differences. And it is really exciting to see new ones come into the language", she said.
Cassidy sent out more than a thousand questionnaires all over the country, and got some interesting results.
He found often people called the same thing, many different things.
Like kitty korner, versus catty corner.
Pancakes, versus flannel cakes.
And quill pig, versus porcupine.
The first volume with colorful words and their origins was released in the mid 1980's.
"D though h 1991, i though o was '96, p though sk was 2002. Sl to z is 2010" Houston Hall says.
Flannel Cakes
Kitty Korner Komber
Quill Pig
I blame the Italians.
A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub, grinder, hero, hoagie, Italian sandwich, po’ boy, wedge, zep, or torpedo........
Like when the Incredible Hulk met the Jolly Green Giant and he said, “Oh my verdant brobdingnagian doppelganger!”
One of my favorite weird words is “dongle.” It sounds dirty, but isn’t.
If he can come up with the correct spelling of “yunz” (2nd person plural in Pittsburgh and PA Dutch Country), that will be a job well done.
jared
-PJ
Agreed.
Is that what they call it in Japan? Or are you talking about an alternate world where a teenager tries to reshape the world by killing evil people and terrorizing governments?
Hmmm...
Let’s see. How about: “sesquipedalian?”
I learned a new word recently: furbelow
We looked it up and I declare it the most obscure word I ever read in my life.
>>>One of my favorite weird words is dongle. It sounds dirty, but isnt.
Something else that sounds dirty but isn’t...
Elle joue avec sa poupée dans la piscine = She is playing with her doll in the swimming pool.
Oh, teh me 'bout dem der weee-ahd wuhds, der!
Y'see, ah grew up in South Cah-linah,
down neah Chaaaaaa-stin, dontcha know.
Whan ah b'cam a Yuuuu-nitid Stits Senatah, ah ended up tawkin' ta lotsa folks from place like Bowstin an' Phi'dehphia an' Noo Yoke.
Now, if'n you wants ta heah some we-ahd wuhds, dem folks tawk s'funny, ah can't hahdly unnustand a wuhd dey say!
o'cose, ahm ruhtaaaahd now, so's ah don' hafta deal wit dose fokes anymo'.
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Gods |
Procrastination yields its usual dividends.It all started back in 1889, when the American Dialect Society began to write the Dictionary of American Regional English... For eight decades, the project went virtually nowhere, until Professor Frederick Cassidy got involved.Is "pokey" in this thing? |
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