A subtler characteristic of southern New England speech is the routine dropping of ds and ts. I have no idea what this is called, but it seems that speakers of other American accents have a similar habit. Dropping ts and ds is much more common than full-blown non-rhoticity.
Why do I care? Gravestones, of course:
Hugh Ellis, Newport, RI (1723)
"Granson"
Samuel Winsor, Providence, RI (1758)
"Baptis"
also, potentially, "Winsor"
I don't know how other people pronounce this, but I would pronounce "Windsor" as "Winzzer," as in "South Winzzer, Connecticut." Was he Samuel "Windsor" or "Winsor"? This book says "Windsor."
Susannah Lane, Billerica, MA (1713)
"Augus"
These may be coincidences, but I'll be on the lookout for more d/t irregularities from now on.
1 comment:
It is in pretty good shape, though, if I remember correctly, some of the ballast is exposed and it is leaning a bit. It's in the South Burying Ground in Billerica.
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