Conference thebay::joyoflex

	The reason is historical:
    
        If Bert told you about a "sure bet", you'd probably say "sure,Bert". 
    

    This is obviously caused by an excess of Rs.  Japanese, for 
    instance, don't distinguish between the labials of `L' and `R'.
    Unfortunately, L's only come paired with R's -- hence the
    words "left" and "right".
    
    If you don't use an equal number of both, why, one letter just
    starts piling up!
    
    The US Federal Government, being wise in ways unknown to us peons,
    has a trade agreement with Japan.  They ship us all their excess
    R's in exchange for something that is worthless to us: inflated
    dollars, for example.
    
    Now that you know the real story, please use your quota of R's.
    Government approved words than can have R's inserted are:
    
    	sherbe(R)t
    	Wa(R)shington, DC
    	wa(R)shing machine
    	[etc]
    

    I once knew an artist from central Massachusetts who told me that she
    kept her drawrings in a draw. In this way, she maintained a perfect
    consonantal balance while holding true to her linguistic heritage. 
    
    Bill

    Way back when, when Digital was only in Mill buildings 5 and 12, and
    dinosaurs roamed the face of the earth, Building 12 had a receptionist
    who knew about the conservation of r's but didn't know where to put
    them. She saw me one day coming in wearing a brand new ski jacket. She
    complimented me on my new "packer." It took quite a while to translate
    that into "parka". 

.4�< Note 611.4 by EAGLE1::EGGERS "Tom, VAX & MIPS architecture" >
.4�                                -< roving r's >-
.4�
.4�    complimented me on my new "packer." It took quite a while to translate
.4�    that into "parka". 

    Perhaps she meant a packer-mac?  And while we aren't on the subject
    where did parka come from?
    
    Ian.

    Re: .5
    
    I bought the parka at the Maynard Outdoor Store.

     >>   I bought the parka at the Maynard Outdoor Store.
    
    Outdoor Store, eh?  I grew up in a small town in northern New York
    (Massena) and we had an Outdoor Store.  Was that a chain or simply a
    common name?  I've never seen the name on the West Coast, but I haven't
    exactly been searching. 
    
    Eric
    

    Well, this is what in the Boston area is referred to as the "Law
    of Conservation of R's."  As is well-known, native Bostonians (and
    various others) often pronounce words such as
    
    	cah
    	Hahvahd
    	yahd
    
    without the r's.  However, they also talk about
    
    	Cuber
    	bananer
    
    packer (nee parka) has the distinction of conserving r's in the
    same word.
    
    	- Win
    
    P.S. This is, of course, not intended to disparage the truly wonderful
    linguistic heritage of the Hub of the Universe.
    

    Hub'r of the Univahse?

RE: Outside Store

An outside store is obviously One (see other note) than is not inside, that is,
not in a mall.

G.

    I just received this in the mail.  I don't know the originator
    but a name is mentioned at the end.
    
    
How to Talk Bostonian!
 
		Massachewsetts Unabridged Dictionary
 
Alta	To change; make or become different; modify.
Ansa	A spoken or written reply, as to a question.
Baa	A place people meet to have a few drinks.
Baaston	The capital of Massachusetts.
Baaba	One whose business is to cut or trim hair or beards.
Beea	An alcoholic beverage brewed from malt and hops.
Caaa	An automobile.
Centa	A point around which something revolves;axis.
Chouda	A thick seafood soup, often in a milk base.
Dada	Information, esp. information organized for analysis or computation.
Decemba	The 12th month of the year.
Erra	A mistake.
Faa	To, from, or at considerable distance.
Linder	A female name.
Memba	To recall to the mind; think of again.
New Hampsha A state in the northeast United States.
New Yaak A state in the northeast United States.
Novemba	The 11th month of the year.
Octoba	The 10th month of the year.
Ova	Location above or across a specified position.
Paak	A stadium or inclosed playing field. To put or leave (a vehicle) for
	a time in a certain location.
Patato	The starchy, edible tuber of a widely cultivated plant.
Septemba The 9th month of the year.
Shua	Having no doubt; certain.
Sista	A female having the same mother and father as another.
Tamato	A fleshy, smooth-skinned reddish fruit eaten in salads or as a
	vegetable.
Troopa	A state policeman.
Wista	A city in central Masschewsetts.
yaad	A tract of ground adjacent to a building.

                                                      (Courtesy of Carol Milano)

>Patato	The starchy, edible tuber of a widely cultivated plant.

	I always thought the correct pronunciation was
	"Badayda"

>Wista	A city in central Masschewsetts.

	I thought it was "Woosta"

And, of course, this list should include the island nation off Florida,

	Cuber

    Re: <<< Note 611.12 by RICKS::SATOW >>>

    >	I thought it was "Woosta"

    FWIW, I once tried to program a DECTalk to pronounce this name
    "properly" and, in fact, "Wista" gave the best approximation...
    
    Bill
    

    
    Anyone know how cockney rhyming slang 'sherbert' (meaning drink)
    is derived?
    
    Richard.

    How about from the Arabic, sharbah, meaning "to drink"?
    
    					Ann B.
    
    P.S.  Yes, this is the root of "sherbet", and of "shrub", another
    cool fruit drink.

    I wouldn't be surprised if rhyming wasn't involved at all. Two guesses:
    
    	o	We used to buy (early sixties - don't know if they exist
    		any more) things called Sherbet Fountains: they were
    		extremely dry - a liquorice tube stuffed down a roll
    		of white powder.  One didn't actually snort it - this
    		was in the days before solvent abuse.
    
    		This sort of sweet could have given the slang two ways:
    
    		o	Fountain - therefore refreshing
    
    		o	Dry - therefore (joc.) wet
    
    	o	Since the introduction of drink/driving campaigns, people
    		have been trying to emphasize how harmless their drinks
    		are. So `sherbet' - in this case - wd be a euphemism.
    
    b
    

    Hows about... Sherbert Dip -> Sip (as in "a sip of ale")
    
    Probably the most famous sherbert sweet in the history of the universe,
    well at least in Yorkshire! Wouldn't be surprised if they weren't
    wonderfully popular down in London too....
    
    No? Oh well.... 
    
    R|tch^d