Journalist: Texas twang on the rise

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF ^ | Tuesday, January 25, 2005 | By Katie Humphrey

[Arrowhead1952]

When I lived in Austin (1976-1986), the "correct" pronunciation for Manchaca was "MAN-chack".

That is still the most common pronunciation - "MAN chack" or "MAN shack".

[Dark Wing]

This will come as news to Californians.

[Diddle E. Squat]

But surely you must admit, using "y'all" makes perfect sense, since it fills a gap in the English language (pluralizing "you".) Smoother than the Yankee "You guys".

[xJones]

I am so proud of my Yankee wife; she now calls us to supper by telling us to go warsh our hands.

Good, good woman. I'm sure she knows how to pronounce "Warshington", but have you told her about the usefullness of 'y'all', or even 'you all'? That's a serious question because I've noted that 'y'all' is dying out among our young, and the valuable plural 'you' disappeared long ago in all other English dialects while being preserved in the South.

[xJones]

I didn't read your post #43 before posting my #44. You are so right, most other languages have a plural form of 'you', but for some reason 'thee' and 'thou' gave to way to only 'you' in English. Not that thee and thou is such a loss, but 'you' can mean 1 person or multiple persons. Southern English speakers refused to be so impoverished and picked up 'y'all' and 'you all'.:)

[mathluv]

I like Lamesa personally. (It is La ME sa, not la MAY sa)

[bayourod]

Bout time them yankees started assimilatin.

[SaveTheChief]

I'm still trying to figure that H-thing out. Maybe, just maybe, some day someone will explain it to me. I'm not holding my breath.

By the way, those in Houston know the real way to pronounce "Kuykendahl".

[rdb3]

But surely you must admit, using "y'all" makes perfect sense, since it fills a gap in the English language (pluralizing "you".) Smoother than the Yankee "You guys".

"Y'all" is not directly tied to Texas or just southern talk. That term is used frequently in the midwest. In New Jersey, it's "youz" instead of "y'all". New York and New England may be different.

I'm not sure what they say in California.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Mexia

D .a. i. r. y.. Q. u. e. e. n

Texans will understand.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Houston = You-ston

Interesting. As a native Houstonian, I don't ever recall hearing it pronounced without out the 'H'. Is that an inner loop thing, or maybe from Kaw-Coo-Coo-Kaw (KQQK, Latino station)?! Last I heard, it was still the San Jacinto monument("jah-sin-toe" not "ha-sin-toe").

Of course New Yorkers mess it up with their Houston Street ("how-stun" instead of "hue-stun"), but then New Yorkers mess up a lot of things. Wondering if the NY Times ever forgets the space in "Sugar Land" when attack DeLay? Which brings up another common error: Ronnie Earle is not pronounced "ron-ee earl", but "saw-ree-co-rupt-dem-crat-bass-turd")...

[Arrowhead1952]

D .a. i. r. y.. Q. u. e. e. n

Texans will understand

LOL.......

[ru4liberty]

By the way, those in Houston know the real way to pronounce "Kuykendahl".

Kirkendoll, of course! ;)

[Guvmint_Cheese]

When I came down here, I was told "It's Burn-it, durn-it! Cantcha lurn-it???"

[ru4liberty]

Here's my $64,000 question:

What's so stinking difficult about the pronunciation of New Braunfels??

[dfwright]

I live in Bulverde... Still have to spell it everytime I order something over the phone. Then get into an argument. "Yes, Buhl-vuhr-dee is spelled Bulverde... get over it."

[ForGod'sSake]

Well butter my butt n' call me biscuit!

FGS

[SuzyQue]

Don't forget Manor, Elgin and Montague County.

[Arrowhead1952]

At least it's spelling isn't as bad as Pflugerville. I still have to look that up whenever I send anything to friends there.

[dfwright]

Mexia

D .a. i. r. y.. Q. u. e. e. n

Texans will understand.

LOL!