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Is it possible some of what you are hearing is microphone feedback or sound quality issues? I presume this is not commentary based on speaking to FLOTUS in person.
Oh, by all means, no.
I mentioned in my first post that there was a public service announcement, but I noticed it on other occasions when she spoke.
It's just that this one announcement, for Haiti, runs late at night on the radio before I sleep and I have time to mull over in my head what I find strange about the speech. A person probably would not notice unless he/she were looking for it, but it's there.
Oh, if I knew someone personally I would never post such a picky thing about them on a public forum.
It is a trivial matter and not to detract from her in any way - just an idle curiosity of mine and not something easily googled.
It can be clearly heard when she says 'deshtroyed' instead of destroyed.
trnsplntfrmNV---you can still have your sons tongue clipped (technically, a Lingual frenotomy). My son had his done at age 7, it was no big deal. He didn't have any speech impediment but he wanted to be able to lick an ice cream cone.
I suppose you are upset at mentioning Obama saying 'aks'. Not sure why, many blacks say it that way. I don't know why you'd object if it was noticed. He's black you know.
Tyoosday and Nyoos are the correct pronounciations of Tuesday and News. It's not how I said them growing up either.
Another one is Prelude--it is Prel-yude, not Pray-lude.
Actually, there's no one correct way to speak any language--it's all a matter of different dialects, but for socio-political reasons, the version established by those in power is considered "right". Linguistically, it doesn't matter.
I suppose you are upset at mentioning Obama saying 'aks'. Not sure why, many blacks say it that way. I don't know why you'd object if it was noticed. He's black you know.
"Ax" for "ask" is a carryover from the many Scots and Scots-Irish who settled the south and were the people that the first slaves learned English from. It was also common in parts of England and Ax appears written that way in some Old English writings, too.
I don't believe my idle curiosity on this one issue would justify taking an entire course, do you? So, I suppose you are saying she has a congenital defect and Sean is simply parroting some regional pronunciation?
Oh, you're too funny Much as you might consider it idle curiosity, I consider you interested in Linguistics, as most people would not even notice Mrs. O's pronunciation or even care about it being different or even bother to ask the question; you sound like you'd be a GREAT Linguistics student. I also happen to be currently taking Ling 101 and our course has covered this topic (it's not as simple an issue as you'd think) as well as many others.
I'm not sure that I would describe her as having a congenital defect (that's harsh) but, rather, a speech impediment; remember, I do the same thing that she does, and I would never say that I have a congenital defect. For some reason, some people just have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds. Sometimes it is due to a different physical structure of the oral cavity, sometimes not. But none of those is a "defect," and it is extremely rude to refer to a speech impediment, for any reason, in that manner.
And I wouldn't say that Sean Connery is "parroting" a regional pronunciation (that's disrespectful) but, rather, has acquired a regional pronunciation b/c of the area in which he has grown up where the pronunciation is common.
But who knows? Maybe MO spent a few years living in Scotland during her childhood. Either way, you haven't been satisfied with any answer given thus far, and probably won't be satisfied until you hear the reason from MO herself (perhaps you should write her a letter) or take a Linguistics course where a prof can specifically answer your question (you might also find a Ling prof and write him/her).
"Ax" for "ask" is a carryover from the many Scots and Scots-Irish who settled the south and were the people that the first slaves learned English from. It was also common in parts of England and Ax appears written that way in some Old English writings, too.
The "shtreet" thing has the same source.
That sounds like a very reasonable explanation but I remain dubious b/c I have never heard of this being a common pronunciation of AAVE... Do you have an article?
Oh, you're too funny Much as you might consider it idle curiosity, I consider you interested in Linguistics, as most people would not even notice Mrs. O's pronunciation or even care about it being different or even bother to ask the question; you sound like you'd be a GREAT Linguistics student. I also happen to be currently taking Ling 101 and our course has covered this topic (it's not as simple an issue as you'd think) as well as many others.
I'm not sure that I would describe her as having a congenital defect (that's harsh) but, rather, a speech impediment; remember, I do the same thing that she does, and I would never say that I have a congenital defect. For some reason, some people just have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds. Sometimes it is due to a different physical structure of the oral cavity, sometimes not. But none of those is a "defect," and it is extremely rude to refer to a speech impediment, for any reason, in that manner.
And I wouldn't say that Sean Connery is "parroting" a regional pronunciation (that's disrespectful) but, rather, has acquired a regional pronunciation b/c of the area in which he has grown up where the pronunciation is common.
But who knows? Maybe MO spent a few years living in Scotland during her childhood. Either way, you haven't been satisfied with any answer given thus far, and probably won't be satisfied until you hear the reason from MO herself (perhaps you should write her a letter) or take a Linguistics course where a prof can specifically answer your question (you might also find a Ling prof and write him/her).
Sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect. I probably am just too dense to understand what you said. Maybe I should have read it better.
My thing is that Sean must have studied these things as a part of his profession. If that's the case, then I would think he consciously makes a choice in how he expresses himself.
I'm probably too finicky.
The people I hung around as a kid considered it helpful to correct a person's speech, etc. It was done in friendship and to help another person out. I tried that with a black friend once (the 'axe' in place of 'ask'). THe person got insulted. I learned not to do that again.
There are so many ding-bats on the media mis pronouncing nuclear. That gets my goat. It is easy - two syllables 'noo' (or neeoo) followed by the word 'clear'. Exactly how it is spelled. These people are supposed to be professionals and since they do not do real reporting, and get paid for talking, I would think that at least they would learn how to pronounce words. It should not be too much to expect.
Ok, tell me about it. Times change and I'm a fuss-budget.
I can take it.
Oh, in a linguistics course, what are you taught? Word derivation and roots?
I do think first impressions are important. We all draw conclusions from superficial things. Just as people don't wear jeans to a formal occasion, we should be able to use the proper pronunciation to blend in with whatever group we are in, too. Different groups may have different expectations and I don't think a person should risk limiting themselves (at a job interview, let's say) by speaking or writing poorly.
Sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect. I probably am just too dense to understand what you said. Maybe I should have read it better.
My thing is that Sean must have studied these things as a part of his profession. If that's the case, then I would think he consciously makes a choice in how he expresses himself.
I'm probably too finicky.
The people I hung around as a kid considered it helpful to correct a person's speech, etc. It was done in friendship and to help another person out. I tried that with a black friend once (the 'axe' in place of 'ask'). THe person got insulted. I learned not to do that again.
There are so many ding-bats on the media mis pronouncing nuclear. That gets my goat. It is easy - two syllables 'noo' (or neeoo) followed by the word 'clear'. Exactly how it is spelled. These people are supposed to be professionals and since they do not do real reporting, and get paid for talking, I would think that at least they would learn how to pronounce words. It should not be too much to expect.
Ok, tell me about it. Times change and I'm a fuss-budget.
I can take it.
Oh, in a linguistics course, what are you taught? Word derivation and roots?
I do think first impressions are important. We all draw conclusions from superficial things. Just as people don't wear jeans to a formal occasion, we should be able to use the proper pronunciation to blend in with whatever group we are in, too. Different groups may have different expectations and I don't think a person should risk limiting themselves (at a job interview, let's say) by speaking or writing poorly.
No, SC definitely doesn't make a choice to speak that way. Now, when Darrell Hammond impersonates SC on SNL, then he is making a choice
In the LING course that I am taking, we do not study word derivation or roots. I would love to give you a synopsis of what an intro LING course consists of but it is fairly extensive. But, for example, we just finished talking about language and group identification, what exactly a standard is and how it relates to a dialect, which would explain why your African-American friend got angry when corrected and why your caucasian friends didn't (i.e. lang has a lot to do with identification and, also, power and dominance). Given that we just discussed this in our class, I think that you would really enjoy and learn a lot from a LING class, especially b/c your above statement about speaking and writing poorly is considered highly offensive and is the exact opposite perspective of that of a linguist.
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