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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
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Odd usage in Baltimore-based TV show

Through the semi-miracle of Charter On-Demand, I've recently been watching many episodes of the HBO series "The Wire", set in the Baltimore police department. I've noted an odd linguistic usage that crops up occasionally, in that sometimes the characters use the word "police" as a singular, non-collective noun. As in, "he's a real police."
The creater, producer and writer, David Simon (also did "Homicide: Life on the Streets"), was a police reporter for the Baltimore Sun. Presumably this then reflects accurate usage. Has anyone hear of such a thing before? This sounded very peculiar to me.
Brian Rodenborn
  

Top answer

[nq:1]Through the semi-miracle of Charter On-Demand, I've recently been watching many episodes of the HBO series "The Wire", set in ... Presumably this then reflects accurate usage. Has anyone hear of such a thing before?

  • [nq:1]Through the semi-miracle of Charter On-Demand, I've recently been watching many episodes of the HBO series "The Wire", set in ...
  • Presumably this then reflects accurate usage.
  • Has anyone hear of such a thing before?
  • T.
  • (Communications and Theater) class, the teacher had tacked on the wall a clipped-out article about Baltimore (Bawlmer) accents.
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9 Answers
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[nq:1]Through the semi-miracle of Charter On-Demand, I've recently been watching many episodes of the HBO series "The Wire", set in ... Presumably this then reflects accurate usage. Has anyone hear of such a thing before? This sounded very peculiar to me.[/nq]
I remember that in my seventh or eighth grade C.T. (Communications and Theater) class, the teacher had tacked on the wall a clipped-out
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...
} I remember that in my seventh or eighth grade C.T. (Communications and } Theater) class, the teacher had tacked on the wall a clipped-out article } about Baltimore (Bawlmer) accents. One of the items was that "PO-lice" } meant 'policeman', and the plural was "PLEECE". (Or do I have that } backwards?)
The one's the noun and the other's the verb. Just like with "umbrella".

R.
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[nq:2]Through the semi-miracle of Charter On-Demand, I've recently been watching ... such a thing before? This sounded very peculiar to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]I remember that in my seventh or eighth grade C.T. (Communications and Theater) class, the teacher had tacked on the ... One of the items was that "PO-lice" meant 'policeman', and the plural was "PLEECE". (Or do I have that backwards?)[/nq]
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[nq:1] But then again Baltimore (Bawmer) has always had a very peculiar accent. Where else would the neighborhood spelled "HIGHLANDTOWN" be pronounce "Howliuntown"[/nq]
And Druid Hill Park is Droodle Park. It was **** dan rain there yesterday. And amba-lances were goon dan the street a bat a hunnert molls an air.
\\P. Schultz
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Yer from hair airn't cha.
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[nq:2] But then again Baltimore (Bawmer) has always had a very peculiar accent. Where else would the neighborhood spelled "HIGHLANDTOWN" be pronounce "Howliuntown"[/nq]
[nq:1]And Druid Hill Park is Droodle Park. It was **** dan rain there yesterday. And amba-lances were goon dan the street a bat a hunnert molls an air. \\P. Schultz[/nq]
I've wanted to visit Baltimore ever since seeing char
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[nq:1]I've wanted to visit Baltimore ever since seeing charming films like "Tin Men" and "Pink Flamingoes". It strikes me as ... peculiar accent. What's the story in Balimory? Wouldn't you like to know? Could the two be in any way related?[/nq]
Apparently, sort of. There *is* no "Balimory" that Getty's or my Scottish Placenames book can find. But Brewer's Names says that "Balmoral" comes from
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[nq:2]I've wanted to visit Baltimore ever since seeing charming films ... to know? Could the two be in any way related?[/nq]
[nq:1]Apparently, sort of. There *is* no "Balimory" that Getty's or my Scottish Placenames book can find. But Brewer's Names ... na Tighe Mor," "townland of the big house" which is somewhat similar. At least in having "baile" and "mor".[/nq]
The original Baltimore, f

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