|
Notices |
It's been a while, Unregistered -- Welcome back to Eratosphere! |
|
|
10-09-2014, 12:43 PM
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Paris, France
Posts: 5,391
|
|
Many years ago, I spent an evening feeding the critters in a park in Melbourne. Actually, it was easy to distinguish between the two species: the Possums happily gobbled the bread we offered them, whereas the O'Possums held out for a pint of Guinness.
|
10-09-2014, 06:26 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Beaumont, TX
Posts: 4,748
|
|
With two easy elisions both
The opossum ate its food
An opossum ate its food
would still scan for me as iambic.
One way you get "th'opossum"-- a y-glide a la Donne.
The other way you get "'n'possum," which Donne would have embraced if he had been from the South.
"the possum" and "a possum" sound hopelessly déclassé to my ear.
|
10-09-2014, 06:27 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Beaumont, TX
Posts: 4,748
|
|
I must admit that we Southerners can read Donne with very few, if any, metrical variations. If only he'd emigrated. He could have been Bishop of Charleston.
|
10-09-2014, 06:41 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Inside the Beltway
Posts: 4,057
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by R. S. Gwynn
"the possum" and "a possum" sound hopelessly déclassé to my ear.
|
Exactly. And I even think that was Eliot's point. He didn't use it in serious work, he did it as the title to a book of silly poems about cats, one of whose names was Rum-tum-tugger. Not exactly a standard of outward respectability or dignified usage...
Thanks,
Bill
|
10-09-2014, 08:24 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Belfast, Maine
Posts: 1,306
|
|
In my neck of the woods, it's pronounced opossum, but the "o" is not very stressed. But, these critters are as common up here as manatees, armadillos, or unicorns; so what do we yankee ignoramuses know?
Oh, and we pronounce ruffed grouse as "pahtridge"
Anyway, this thread has been fun to read. Regional variations in English are a delight to learn.
Last edited by Douglas G. Brown; 10-09-2014 at 08:26 PM.
|
10-09-2014, 09:54 PM
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 743
|
|
Think about it folks, how many of you say "You welcome" for "You're welcome"?
|
10-10-2014, 04:52 AM
|
Moderator
|
|
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,159
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip Dewahl
Think about it folks, how many of you say "You welcome" for "You're welcome"?
|
Apples and orangutans, Skip.
|
10-10-2014, 12:43 PM
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 743
|
|
No, I was trying to point out the hypocrisy of people who nitpick at choices such as possum while disobeying rules of grammar.
By the way, what happened to your trademark dour "Roger Mudd?" avatar? We gotta get you back that gravitas, buddy. Don't you know that there's not supposed to be anything "moderate" about moderators. They should have less in common with the plebeian poster than apples and orangutans, and heavens, never as close as apples and oranges.
|
10-10-2014, 03:10 PM
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Plum Island, MA; Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 11,168
|
|
Bring back Auden, Shaun. The Picasso is too small and lacks gravitas. (I believe this is the first time I've ever agreed with Skip, about anything - see what you've done.)
|
10-10-2014, 03:48 PM
|
Moderator
|
|
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,159
|
|
Back by popular demand...
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Member Login
Forum Statistics:
Forum Members: 8,399
Total Threads: 21,840
Total Posts: 270,803
There are 1111 users
currently browsing forums.
Forum Sponsor:
|
|
|
|
|
|