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Usenet Posted 16 years ago
Usage
Hoffman and scofflaw
When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc.
I figured it was a family preference.
Finally 40 years later, I hear Michael Feldman, who is from Wisconsin and has a radio show, pronounce "scofflaw", I think he was saying, as "scufflaw".
Are there other words for which Wisconsinites pronounce an o like a u, or are these the only two?
Or is there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?
Posters should say where they live, and for which area they are asking questions. I was born and then lived in Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years
I figured it was a family preference.
Finally 40 years later, I hear Michael Feldman, who is from Wisconsin and has a radio show, pronounce "scofflaw", I think he was saying, as "scufflaw".
Are there other words for which Wisconsinites pronounce an o like a u, or are these the only two?
Or is there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?
Posters should say where they live, and for which area they are asking questions. I was born and then lived in Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years
Top answer
[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ...
- [nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman.
- From Wisconsin iirc.
- I ...
- "scufflaw".
- [/nq] I don't know about all Wisconsinites.
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33 Answers
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[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ... "scufflaw". Are there other words for which Wisconsinites pronounce an o like a u, or are these the only two?[/nq]
I don't know about all Wisconsinites. But I don't shorten the "o" into the "u" of "cup", in either of your examples. And I have lived in Feldman's hometown for the
I don't know about all Wisconsinites. But I don't shorten the "o" into the "u" of "cup", in either of your examples. And I have lived in Feldman's hometown for the
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[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ... "scufflaw". Are there other words for which Wisconsinites pronounce an o like a u, or are these the only two?[/nq]
Are you sure you are not hearing the simple variant in the "o" sound that one might hear in the word "don, dog" (Names: Don, Dawn; cot, caught)"
Having had disc
Are you sure you are not hearing the simple variant in the "o" sound that one might hear in the word "don, dog" (Names: Don, Dawn; cot, caught)"
Having had disc
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[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ... =A0 7 years Chicago =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A06 years Brooklyn, NY 12 years Baltimore =A0 =A0 =A0 26 years[/nq]
Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US. When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they were German or American. The vast majority decided t
Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US. When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they were German or American. The vast majority decided t
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mm filted:
[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ... a u, or are these the only two? Or is there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?[/nq]
I don't know about Wisconsinites (Wisconsonians?), but some people say "dunkey" for "donkey"..r
"Oy! A cat made of lead cannot fly."
- Mark Brader declaim
[nq:1]When I was in college, I had a roommate named Hoffman but he pronounced it Huffman. From Wisconsin iirc. I ... a u, or are these the only two? Or is there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?[/nq]
I don't know about Wisconsinites (Wisconsonians?), but some people say "dunkey" for "donkey"..r
"Oy! A cat made of lead cannot fly."
- Mark Brader declaim
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[nq:2]When I was in college, I had a roommate named ... o like a u, or are these the only two?[/nq]
[nq:1]Are you sure you are not hearing the simple variant in the "o" sound that one might hear in the word "don, dog" (Names: Don, Dawn; cot, caught)"[/nq]
Yeah, I'm sure. It sounded like the u in "cup" as you suggested. Of course, of your three pairs, I only distinguish cot and caught.
[nq:1]Are you sure you are not hearing the simple variant in the "o" sound that one might hear in the word "don, dog" (Names: Don, Dawn; cot, caught)"[/nq]
Yeah, I'm sure. It sounded like the u in "cup" as you suggested. Of course, of your three pairs, I only distinguish cot and caught.
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[nq:2]When I was in college, I had a roommate named ... a word scufflaw that he might have been saying? [/nq]
[nq:1]Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US. When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they were German or American. The vast majority decided they were American, and sought to downplay their Germanness.[/nq]
Did this accelerate during WWII?
[nq:1]Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US. When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they were German or American. The vast majority decided they were American, and sought to downplay their Germanness.[/nq]
Did this accelerate during WWII?
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(snip question about Wisconsin vowels, of which I know little)
[nq:2]Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US.[/nq]
You got any figures on that?
[nq:2]When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they ... decided they were American, and sought to downplay their Germanness.[/nq]
I have to point out that many of these had lost their "Germanness" long bef
[nq:2]Before WWI, there was a large German-speaking population in the US.[/nq]
You got any figures on that?
[nq:2]When WWI came around, they had to decide whether they ... decided they were American, and sought to downplay their Germanness.[/nq]
I have to point out that many of these had lost their "Germanness" long bef
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I think you added confusion by using the word "cup" as your example of how it is pronounced. Most people pronounce cup as a short ah sound, but not everyone.
Here are three similar words: look, lock and luck. The last two have the long "aah" sound and short "ah" sound. The first one (look) is a short "u" sound. If it were pronounced like Luke that would be a long "uu" sound.
The word
Here are three similar words: look, lock and luck. The last two have the long "aah" sound and short "ah" sound. The first one (look) is a short "u" sound. If it were pronounced like Luke that would be a long "uu" sound.
The word
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[nq:1](snip question about Wisconsin vowels, of which I know little) You got any figures on that? I have to point out that many of these had lost their "Germanness" long before that, like a century or so.[/nq]
[nq:2]Did this accelerate during WWII?[/nq]
[nq:1]It was over before then, if we're talking about language and cultural assimilation, and not merely surnames. Well, to take ... argum
[nq:2]Did this accelerate during WWII?[/nq]
[nq:1]It was over before then, if we're talking about language and cultural assimilation, and not merely surnames. Well, to take ... argum
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[nq:1]mm filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]When I was in college, I had a roommate named ... there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know about Wisconsinites (Wisconsonians?), but some people say "dunkey" for "donkey"..r[/nq]
In my New Jersey family, "dunkey," "warsh," and using (A") as the first syllables of "orange," "Doris," and "Boris" was customary. I've heard Mc
[nq:2]When I was in college, I had a roommate named ... there a word scufflaw that he might have been saying?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know about Wisconsinites (Wisconsonians?), but some people say "dunkey" for "donkey"..r[/nq]
In my New Jersey family, "dunkey," "warsh," and using (A") as the first syllables of "orange," "Doris," and "Boris" was customary. I've heard Mc
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