Date:  Sat, 28 Oct 1995 12:41:55 -0700

From:  Dan Moonhawk Alford <dalford[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]S1.CSUHAYWARD.EDU>

Subject: "downspeak" (!)



This probably isn't an actual concept yet, but has anyone else

encountered this situation? My mom does it (from Ozarks in Arkansas), and

it drives me nuts when I'm speaking to her on the phone.



She'll say something then say ", tuh ..." I.e., t+schwa while trailing

off. It's like a weird signalling for the other person to speak, but it

SUGGESTS that she may have something else to say. The "word" I think is

approximated is "to", which suggests that there might be some kind of

causal comment to follow. I.e., He did it, to ... (show his manliness?).

But I don't think that really characterizes it either.



It's weird. Anyone else know this one?