How would white Southerners in the 1950s have pronounced this name? (shop, supermarket)

[wardwhirlboromarlpool1955]

Penn Fruit was a supermarket chain in Philadelphia in the 1950s. Would Southerners at that time have put more emphasis on PENN, or would they have put more emphasis on FRUIT? The Northerners who shopped at Penn Fruit seemed to prefer the latter. But I get the feeling most Southerners would have preferred the former.

[KathrynAragon]

Equal emphasis on each word. Penn. Fruit.

[Ghengis]

I think they would have drawn out the first part like this: "Peeeee-in" and the second part would likely have been empasized with just a hint of a lisp like this "Pfroooot!" The whole thing would be said with a wave of the hand as if being uttered by a New York Broadway critic reviewing a new play.

"Peeeee-in Pfroooot!"

[Marat]

And maybe pronounce Penn as "pin" just as so many do ten as tin, Ben as bin, pen as pin.

[waviking24]

Go on down to Pin Frewt

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

I think they would have drawn out the first part like this: "Peeeee-in" and the second part would likely have been empasized with just a hint of a lisp like this "Pfroooot!" The whole thing would be said with a wave of the hand as if being uttered by a New York Broadway critic reviewing a new play.

"Peeeee-in Pfroooot!"

LOL. Nailed it. Also, more often than not, they would probably be wearing a white suit with a white straw hat and sipping a mint julep as they're pronouncing it.

[wardwhirlboromarlpool1955]

How would a Southerner not showing any emotion or excitement (speaking with a monotone perhaps) pronounce the name though?

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by wardwhirlboromarlpool1955

How would a Southerner not showing any emotion or excitement (speaking with a monotone perhaps) pronounce the name though?

"tho"

[wardwhirlboromarlpool1955]

Would this type of emotionless Southerner say PENN Fruit? Or would he/she say Penn FRUIT?