[Magdalen] Mary, Marry, and Merry

[Grace Cangialosi]

I never heard anything but “ant” growing up, except for one “awnt,” who had lots of affectations in her speech by way of wanting to appear better than the rest of us. It wasn’t until I moved to the South that I heard it with any regularity. I like the softer sound of “awnt,” but I find that I vary the pronunciation depending on who I’m talking to and which one they’re likely to use.
One observation I’ve made is that African Americans nearly always use “awnt.”



> On May 19, 2020, at 9:39 AM, Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> The Ant pronunciation is very common around here too Ginga. I'm not sure
> why I've always preferred Aunt (ahnt). I was raised by one parent born and
> mostly raised in the south and the other from New England so who knows what
> I heard growing up.
> 
>> On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 8:09 AM Ginga Wilder <gingawilder at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> It's a local thing - those raised in SC Lowcountry say 'ant' for aunt.  At
>> least, my family does.
>> 
>> Ginga
>> 
>> On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 10:10 PM Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> OK, as long this thread is going into other pronunciation quirks who
>>> pronounces Aunt and Ant the same as each other? I rhyme Aunt with want
>> and
>>> Ant with can't.
>>> 
>>>> On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 7:25 PM ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I pronounce Maureen and marine the same.
>>>> 
>>>> Knew a woman who had two children: Bradley and Lee Ann.
>>>> At lunchtime she'd lean over the porch railing and yell "Bradley Ann."
>>>> -M
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Monday, May 18, 2020, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> When I was growing up we had a neighbor who was originally from
>>>> somewhere,
>>>>> I believe, in the Tidewater area. She had three children, Marianne,
>>>>> Malcolm, and Maureen, whose names she pronounced (more or less) as
>>>>> "May-ree-ay-yan", "May-yal-comb", and "Mo-reeeeeeen". We used to joke
>>>> that
>>>>> it took her five minutes to call all three of her kids in.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> 
>>> Christopher Hart
>>> 
>>> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
>>> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
>>> Twitter: @cervus51
>>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Christopher Hart
> 
> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
> Twitter: @cervus51