Re: Grammar

Holger Dansk wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 03:39:29 GMT, "Byron Canfield"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
> >"Holger Dansk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 09:54:57 -0600, Ron Hammon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >Holger Dansk wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> On Mon, 01 Dec 2003 16:11:48 GMT, "Byron Canfield"
> >> >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >"Holger Dansk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> >> >> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> >> >> On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 17:24:14 -0800, Joni Rathbun
> ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> >> >> wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >In my district, immigrant children for whom English is a second
> >> >> >> >language score higher on reading/language arts measures than native
> >> >> >> >born African Americans.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Many native born African Americans (negroes) don't seem to be able
> >to
> >> >> >> learn how to pronounce English even though negroes have been in this
> >> >> >> country for a couple of hundred years.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >The operative words there are "don't seem" -- which is merely a
> >statement
> >> >> >regarding your preception, nothing more.
> >> >>
> >> >> Haven't you noticed how many negroes say...
> >> >> "Aunt" pronounced to rhyme with "up" and "but" instead of the correct
> >> >> way which rhymes with "cat" and "man", and is pronounced the same as
> >> >> ant;
> >> >
> >> >snip
> >> >
> >> >Lol.  The "correct way" is the same as "ant"?  This is funny.  The
> >> >"correct" way is NOT the same as "ant".  This is the only word, as far
> >> >as I know, that blacks have right.  Why do you think that there is a "u"
> >> >in there?  Before the war, "House niggers" spoke proper English in the
> >> >fine mansions of the very wealthy.  Lower-class rednecks said "ant",
> >> >"ain't", and "aunt" the same way.  The word, "aunt" is the legacy of
> >> >that time when some blacks spoke far, far better than most whites.
> >>
> >> Hog doo doo.
> >>
> >> Holger
> >
> >Such an intelligent refutation when the facts don't support your
> >preconceived
> >notions. Yeah, just toss 'em out; reality must be adusted for your sake.
> 
> Click on "pronunciation" on this web page, and, while you are there,
> read the word definition if you are worried about why it's spelled with
> a "u".
> 
> http://www.bartleby.com/61/25/A0522500.html
> 
This is a good example. Let's look at their pronunciation key:
http://www.bartleby.com/61/12.html

Notice how it doesn't explain how to exactly divide up vowel space but
rather uses a circular form of defining sounds by looking at other
English words that you are then to compare the sounds in question to and
get the 'correct' sound to pronounce. If you have a Boston accent, you
will just be comparing your version of the pronunciation of the example
word to get the required sound, nothing objective in that.