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  #21  
Unread 10-09-2014, 12:43 PM
Brian Allgar Brian Allgar is offline
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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.
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  #22  
Unread 10-09-2014, 06:26 PM
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R. S. Gwynn R. S. Gwynn is offline
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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.
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  #23  
Unread 10-09-2014, 06:27 PM
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R. S. Gwynn R. S. Gwynn is offline
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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.
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  #24  
Unread 10-09-2014, 06:41 PM
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W.F. Lantry W.F. Lantry is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by R. S. Gwynn View Post
"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
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  #25  
Unread 10-09-2014, 08:24 PM
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Douglas G. Brown Douglas G. Brown is offline
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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.
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  #26  
Unread 10-09-2014, 09:54 PM
Skip Dewahl Skip Dewahl is offline
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Think about it folks, how many of you say "You welcome" for "You're welcome"?
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  #27  
Unread 10-10-2014, 04:52 AM
E. Shaun Russell E. Shaun Russell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip Dewahl View Post
Think about it folks, how many of you say "You welcome" for "You're welcome"?
Apples and orangutans, Skip.
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  #28  
Unread 10-10-2014, 12:43 PM
Skip Dewahl Skip Dewahl is offline
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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.
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  #29  
Unread 10-10-2014, 03:10 PM
Michael Cantor Michael Cantor is offline
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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.)
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  #30  
Unread 10-10-2014, 03:48 PM
E. Shaun Russell E. Shaun Russell is offline
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Back by popular demand...
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