Date:  Wed, 25 Oct 1995 14:03:58 -0400

From:  Wayne Glowka <wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MAIL.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU>

Subject: [mIzrIz] update/big dog



Students in my linguistics class report the use of [mIzrIz] by two

different groups. A black female in her late teens or early 20s reports

that it is used by "old black ladies in Macon like my mother." A white

student in her late 20s or early 30s reports that everybody (i. e. white)

says it in Lumberton, "where I'm from."



*******************************



Speaking of "big dogs"--a couple of years ago there was a public scandal

about UGA football players and grades in developmental studies. A popular

bumper sticker that functioned as a take-off of the familiar UGA "Let the

big dog run" read "Let the big dog read."



Then, of course, there is the line from the song (is it called "Matchbox

Blues"?):



"Let me be your little dog till your big dog comes."



Ringo sang this for the Beatles. I don't remember the rhyme tag at the end

of the repetition. The line bespeaks a certain hesitation on the part of a

male to make a commitment.









Wayne Glowka

Professor of English

Director of Research and Graduate Student Services

Georgia College

Milledgeville, GA 31061

912-453-4222

wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]mail.gac.peachnet.edu