Date:  Tue, 25 Jun 1996 17:05:25 -0500

From:  "Thomas J. Creswell" <creswell[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CROWN.NET>

Subject: Fwd: Re: Chicago pronc



-- [ From: Thomas J. Creswell * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --



Beth Simon,



I goofed and responded to your query about the pronunciation of Chicago

directly to you. I meant to post it on ads-l.



Herewith



Tom Creswell

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> Date: Monday, 24-Jun-96 11:52 AM

>

> From: Thomas J. Creswell    \ Internet:  (creswell[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]crown.net)

> To:  simon[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CVAX.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU \ Internet:  (simon[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cvax.ipfw.indiana.

edu)

>

> Subject: Re: Chicago pronc

>

> Beth,

>

> The pronunciation of _Chicago_ like that of many place names, is subject

to a

> number of variations.

>

> 1. The initial consonant cluster is either "ch" as in _chew_ or "sh" as

in

> _shoo_. The first Mayor Daley (Richard J.) was a consistent "ch"

pronouncer,

> as were many working class people of Irish origin in his generation. For

> instance, a Chicago cop would most likely be a "ch" pronouncer. Some of

the

> descendants of this group preserve this initial sound.

>

> 2. The first syllable vowel may be either like the _i_ in _hit_, or a

schwa.

>

> 3. The second syllable vowel varies from "open o" as in _law_ and a short

"a"

> as in _cat_. In this syllable, many gradations occur, anything between

the two

> extremes. Old time native Chicagoans usually have the open o vowel,

unless

> they come from a northwest side neighborhood settled by Swedes and Germans

..

> Long time residents, whether white, African American, or Hispanic have a

strong

> tendency to the _aw_ sound. Newer arrivals to the city tend toward the

short

> "a" sound.

>

> 4. The initial consonant of the second syllable is, in some

pronunciations,

> voiced, so that it sounds, in rapid speech like a hard g

> rather than a k. The reason for this is obvious--preceding and following

> voicing.

>

> 5. The final vowel varies between a long o as in _so_ or _go_ and a schwa

> sound. Again, the first Mayor Daley had the schwa sound for this vowel.

>

> No. You are not alone in the "sh" initial consonant sound. I, and many

others

> share it with you.

>

> Tom Creswell



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