[Magdalen] S vs. Z

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

Those who speak English as their primary language have no trouble
with words like "busy" where despite the spelling, the "s" is always
pronounced with a "z" sound.
 
There is the complication that British English speakers use the  sibilant
"s" sound more frequently than North American English speakers who
use the "z" sound more frequently.  There are some resultant  spelling
differences. 
 
Enter those who speak English as a second language.  These  English
speakers tend to have trouble with pronunciation and spelling of  words
like "busy".
 
My partner, Wilfred [o]'s primary language is Spanish.  I found  him
pronouncing "busy" with a sibilant "s" sound yesterday.  There  are
times when he appreciates being corrected, and there are times when
he doesn't.  This time I left it alone.
 
His "bisssee" reminded me of the telephone operators formerly at  the manual
switchboard of the "Farmers' Independent Telephone Co." in my home
area of NW Wisconsin (1940's).  These operators were always female,  and 
always
seemed to speak the Scandinavian brogue version of English so common
in the Upper Midwest of the USA.
 
I saw the switchboard a number of times.  It was a bedroom sized  area
with switchboard of perhaps 500 connections and above the "Thoreson
General Store" in my home town.  Think:  Lily Tomlin doing her  SNL
"Ernestine" comic routine.
 
On picking up a telephone, a live operator (pronounced "abbider")  answered
"number, please".  If that line was busy, she said "bisssee".  
 
I always have felt a little peeved that with the complete switchover to  
modern
dial telephone equipment these "ladies of the switchboard"  disappeared.
There was something comforting to have a live person in the telephone
circuit.
 
Time marches on.
 
 
David Strang.