Re: ai to a

--- On Tue, 3/31/09, etherman23 <etherman23@...> wrote:

> > I can't say for sure, but as a Californian, to my
> ears, the dropping of 'i' from 'ai' is
> southern/Appalachia n but not New England. Just listening
> to Kennedy in youtube's 'Inaugural Speech'
> ('my fellow americans' + 'kennedy') gives
> you clear pronunciation of 'ai' as in 'my'
> 'right' and 'within aw-a lifetime'.
>
> > Certainly, most prominently in New England speech is
> the dropping of terminal -r. as in 'more',
> 'failure' (failya)
>
> > 'course' etc

> The Kennedy's have their own bizarre accent that I
> haven't heard from anyone else in New England (and
> I've traveled all over the place). And before you ask,
> yes I do paak my caa in Haavaad yaad.

I've heard "paek y@ kae in Haevaed yaed" --the Magliotti Brothers

The Kennedy's have been explained as lower-class Boston meets Cape Cod.
I guess if one of the Soprano kids went on be president, s/he'd speak a mixture of lower-class NYC plus Long Island (assuming they'd move out to the Hamptons after going legit).