Date:  Mon, 14 Mar 1994 11:39:01 -0500

From:  Ellen Johnson <ellenj[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ATLAS.UGA.EDU>

Subject: Re: Conscious Learning of Accent



I consider myself to be bidialectal to a certain degree, using a number

of nonstandard features when talking to certain family members and

friends that I wouldn't use when talking to other friends and

colleagues. This came in quite handy when doing fieldwork and it's

interesting to hear myself on the tapes. I sometimes get them confused,

however. I especially notice it when I come out with a double negative,

ain't, etc. in talking to co-workers in the LAMSAS office. Despite our

stated belief in linguistic pluralism, it's sort of embarrassing. Less

frequently, I notice that I've used a very academic-sounding

construction at home. I don't know if it occurs less, or if I just

notice it less.



BTW, my mother calls my best friend /ker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]n/, but I never have. She was

born in rural west Georgia, I was born in Atlanta, and I always use her as

an example of the 3-way split for Mary, merry, and marry.



My english pronunciation of enchilada is with /ae/.



Ellen Johnson

ellenj[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]atlas.uga.edu

writing today from GURT in DC