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(ot) (was: re: merriam-webster online dictionary: "kiln" )

updated tue 11 dec 01

 

Nils Lou on sun 9 dec 01


My dear geddel,
My own mother was an inveterate fil-um speaker
I was so embarrassed
--as a child
course, even now still a child
I am proud she spoke so well
--still does, at 93 1/2
I may start callin' them kilins...
nils

Helen Bates on sun 9 dec 01


Lou,

When I was a small schoolgirl, in 1949-1950 or so, we had a supervisor
of "PT" (Physical Training) for the public school system of Kitchener,
Ontario. He was a former Colonel in the armed forces, and a Scot with
a strong accent. At first I couldn't understand to whom he was
referring, besides the "boys", which sounded much as I was used to
hearing. He would say: "Good morning, boys and geddells!" (And we
were to respond: "Good morning, Colonel Ballantine!", at the tops of
our lungs.

It took some time to realize that he was referring, not to some
strange creatures called "Geddells", but to us "girls"! ;'p

Closer to the pronunciation of "kiln" is the non-standard (to my
family's way of thinking) of the word "film". A highschool prinicpal
pronounced it "fillum", a not-uncommon pronunciation in our more rural
districts.

I could go on: "the-ay-tur"; "frew"; "ba"; (from various
English-speaking locations in Canada or the U.K.)
Helen
--

Nils Lou wrote:
>
> A lovely lass from , I believe, ireland, at the iowa woodstokes conference
> pronounced it in her presentation "kil-in" Sounded very sweet to my ears
> --liked her pots too
> nils
(snip)

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