Not sure, whether, this belongs here, or, not......

[Ponygirl]

I'm having, kind, of a fun little debate with a friend, (who, shall
remain nameless,);) about, whether, your mom's sister would be called,
your "aunt", or, your "Ant",
which, to me, is only a creepy-crawly.*yuk, and, NOT a title for
your mom's sister!...LOL However, my friend still insists, it's, "Ant".
Just wondering, what you, all, think.;)

Phyllis

[Ponyguy]

Hmmm... "Aunt" :confused:
Should it be pronounced "Ont," or "Awwnt," or maybe just "Ayyunt?" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/Shrug.gif


This is quite a difficult question to answer...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/idea.gif I've got it!

Perhaps we ought to defer to the expertise of someone possessing a college degree in English, and ask that person which one s/he prefers?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/santagrin.gif


Much love and
Regards from,

[Ponygirl]

What, the heck, does a persons preference, have to do, with, a college
degree?? A preference is, just, THAT. A pereference.:confused:LMBO!;)

Phyllis

[CanRelate]

I have an "Awwnt" who said "Aunts" (Ants) are bugs that crawl on the ground, and that she was "Awwnt" Mary......so that is what we call her. And that is how I pronounce that word in every other instance

HOWEVER...with my nieces and nephews....I usually sign "aunt ******" and put a rubber stamp of an ant next to it. ;)

Seems, even without my influence, the "Awwnt" didn't pass down to the next generation....

I guess we are not high-brow Bostonian (not that I ever though we were....although we could fun around with a pretty good accent):D ....

There is my two cents........and Merry Christmas, and peace and comfort to all during this season of spiritual holidays of all kinds...

Warm regards,
CanRelate

(p.s. Not sure where this thread belongs either....yet we are playing with words, so it makes sense to me to be here.......:D )

Hmmm... "Aunt" :confused:
Should it be pronounced "Ont," or "Awwnt," or maybe just "Ayyunt?" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/Shrug.gif


This is quite a difficult question to answer...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/idea.gif I've got it!

Perhaps we ought to defer to the expertise of someone possessing a college degree in English, and ask that person which one s/he prefers?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/ponyguy/santagrin.gif


Much love and
Regards from,

[Ponygirl]

:D

Thank you, CanRelate!;)

Phyllis

[Ponyguy]

aunt [ant, ahnt]

–noun
1. the sister of one's father or mother.
2. the wife of one's uncle.
3. Chiefly New England and South Midland U.S.. (used as a term of respectful address to an older woman who is not related to the speaker).
4. Slang. an aging male homosexual.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME aunte < AF, for OF ante < L amita father's sister, old fem. ptp. of amāre to love, i.e., beloved]

—Related forms
auntlike, adjective

—Pronunciation note The usual vowel of aunt in the United States is the [a] of rant except in New England and eastern Virginia, where it is commonly the “New England broad a,” a vowel similar to French [a] and having a quality between the [a] of hat and the [ah] of car. The vowel [ah] itself is also used. In New England and eastern Virginia [ah] or the /[a]-like sound occur in aunt in the speech of all social groups, even where a “broad a” is not used in words like dance and laugh. Elsewhere, the “broader” a is chiefly an educated pronunciation, fostered by the schools with only partial success (“Your relative isn't an insect, is she?”), and is sometimes regarded as an affectation. Aunt with the vowel of paint is chiefly South Midland United States and is limited to folk speech.
The [a] pronunciation of aunt was brought to America before British English developed the [ah] in such words as aunt, dance, and laugh. In American English, [ah] is most common in the areas that maintained the closest cultural ties with England after the [ah] pronunciation developed there in these words.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

According to the above authoritative source, ""Awwnt" is a New England and Eastern Virginia regional dialectal variation of the nationally accepted "Ant" pronunciation.
So, I suppose we're both correct, as long as we remain in our respective geographical areas.


Much love and
Regards from,

[Ponygirl]

Mr. Webster's at it, again!...LOL

Phyllis

[Ponyguy]

Mr. Webster's at it, again!...LOL

Phyllis

Not quite "Mr. Webster"...

I'm Mr. Webster's TEACHER...

;)


Much love and
Regards from,

[CanRelate]

I'm revising my earlier comment:

I pronounce it "ahnt"

Charles Emerson Winchester (from M.A.S.H) would be in the "AWWNT" category.

Just to be clear;) :D

Warm regards,
CanRelate




According to the above authoritative source, ""Awwnt" is a New England and Eastern Virginia regional dialectal variation of the nationally accepted "Ant" pronunciation.
So, I suppose we're both correct, as long as we remain in our respective geographical areas.


Much love and
Regards from,

[Ponygirl]

Either way, it's better, than, calling her a bug, like, Gene does!*yuk
LOL...

{{{{{{Gene}}}}}}
{{{{{{Gene}}}}}}
{{{{{{Gene}}}}}};)
Phyllis

[Ponygirl]

When it comes, to English, you ARE a teacher!:D;)

Phyllis

[Ponyguy]

I'm revising my earlier comment:I pronounce it "ahnt"
CanRelate

"ahnt" ≡ "Ont"



Much love and
Regards from,

[CanRelate]

yes....however, "Ont" does NOT equal "AWWWWNT"

I stand by my correction :D

;)


"ahnt" ≡ "Ont"



Much love and
Regards from,

[Ponygirl]

Have fun! And, "Thank you" to everyone, who's, agreeing with ME!:D
LOL

Phyllis

[Ponygirl]

Anyone, else, wanna weigh-in, here???

Phyllis;)

[Toad]

Anyone, else, wanna weigh-in, here???

Phyllis

well sure! as i had been enjoying this thread...;)

aunt
(A;nt) Forms: 3–6 aunte, 5 awnt, 5– aunt; 3–7 (mi, thi) naunt(e, 9 dial. noant. [a. OF.
aunte, ante, cogn. with Pr. amda, Lombard. amida:—L. amita. In Eng. a mistaken division
of mine aunt, as my naunt, occurs in literature from 13th to 17th c., and still dialectally; cf.
nuncle for uncle, and auger, apron, etc. (Some mod.F. dialects have also nante (ma nante =
mon ante); the modern F. tante, found already in 13th c., perhaps originated, in the
language of the nursery, from OF. t'ante ‘thy aunt.’)]

[Ponygirl]

Thanks, Toad!!!:D:D

Phyllis

[Ponygirl]

There MUST be others from my area, who, agree with me!:eek: ...LOL

Phyllis

[Nana4&cntn]

Ponygirl,

My mom and I have talked acout this. I have always been ant kathy, my ant etc. I was military and lived a good many places. The only place I remrmber the AUUUnt was in the south.
Mom says it's "highbrow". Me I say what ever floats your boat. I am still ant, but better in Nanato 4 boys and another on the way. Guess it's basketball.

kathy

[Nana4&cntn]

Hi Pontgirl,

This is a fun group. I have always been an ant, as has my ant. My entire family including my childrens inlaws are ants, well we are in Nebraska bug capital. I really think it is what ever floats yor boat. But, I bet the baby will say ant before aunt.

hope this helps,
kathy

[Ponygirl]

:eek:I'm sorry!:p...LOL...:D

Phyllis

[Daisy]

I've never been in the bug variety myself although the kidlets insist on adding letters to it so it becomes Auntie never Aunt which they seem to think is too formal. We do have some relatives in different parts of the country that go by the buggie variety though.

[Ponygirl]

Your name is too pretty, to, be a creepy-crawly!:D...LOL

Phyllis

[Ponygirl]

I thought, we were having fun!

Phyllis

[Headspin]

I don't think the title you give her really matters. I manage under a missionary in China who rescues orphans, and when I talk to them via. the instant messenger, the orphans all call me Uncle Craig. So the title of Aunt, Ant, or Uncle can mean anything of a close upper affiliation of authority these days.

[Ponygirl]

When I started this thread, I was just, trying to have a little fun with
a friend from B./T.!:) Thanks a bunch for getting it pulled, back, up!:D:D

Phyllis

[Toad]

Craig has a good point.

i could not even venture a guess how many children... (I suppose many are adults now:eek: ).. call me uncle todd.

term of endearment?

As well I have had a few "aunts" in my life with no traditional relation.

todd

[Ponygirl]

:DI call aunts, "aunts", but, my friend has always pronounced it,
"ants", which, in my eyes, are creepy-crawly things!:eek::p...LOL:o
So, I figured, I'd start this thread to see how others pronounced it, and,
to try and have a little fun with my friend!:D;)
The whole point is, my friend calls "aunts", little creepy-crawlies!:eek:
That's the fun thing, I was trying to get across in this thread!:D...LOL

Phyllis

[Toad]

:DI call aunts, "aunts", but, my friend has always pronounced it,
"ants", which, in my eyes, are creepy-crawly things!:eek::p...LOL:o
So, I figured, I'd start this thread to see how others pronounced it, and,
to try and have a little fun with my friend!:D;)
The whole point is, my friend calls "aunts", little creepy-crawlies!:eek:
That's the fun thing, I was trying to get across in this thread!:D...LOL

Phyllis


Phyllis,

And I think you have done wonderfully getting people engaged with this new forum ;) ;great thread.

I may have had a few creepy-crawly "ants" lol, i just hope to never become the creepy crawly ... unc? :confused: Though that sounds a bit more akin to something pulled from the shower drain... :eek:

Wait, you mean we need to have a point? :rolleyes:

take care

todd

[Ponygirl]

:DYou're a goof-ball!:D...LMBO!:D:D
;)I was trying to get people to understand, I was trying to have a little with
my friend, 'cause, I call them, "AUnts", whereas, he calls them, "Ants",
which, to me, are nothing more, than, little creepy-crawlies!:eek::p
And, I can't see, calling your AUnt, a creepy-crawly!:eek::o...LOL
I got the feeling, some people were thinking, I was SERIOUSLY asking how
people pronounce the word!:eek: When, I was really trying to have some fun
and "bust my friends' chops, 'cause, I was really having FUN with it!:D:D:D
:rolleyes:Honestly, I coudn't care, less, what, people choose to call their
relatives! :DPersonally, I have a FEW 'choice names" for a few of
mine!:eek::D:o...LOL I just thought, it was hysterical, 'cause, he really
pronounces it, like, the name of our little creepy-crawly friends!:eek::o
LOL

Phyllis

[Toad]

who me?, a goof ball?? Surely you jest! :rolleyes:

You just hit-the-nail-on-the-head: I am a goof ball :D

I followed your busting-friends-chops with immense laughter and at some point I offered up (in your defense) to aid the fun: yes it was and still is hysterical!

If we cannot laugh at ourselves and our friends (visa-versa of course), then we are in trouble.

No trouble here, typing while laughing is difficult ... though otherwise... :D :rolleyes: ;)

keep it up: bust chops with word play, a great way to divert.

just note how many others at least read this thread, you are helping this forum. ;)

[Ponygirl]

:(Sadly, my friend seems to be in some sort of a "snit" with me, lately,
over, I have NO clue, what!:eek::rolleyes::p And, I'm not a mind-reader, so
unless, they choose to discuss the problem with me, I don't see, this
thread, continuing. :rolleyes:But, I have NO clue, what's going on, and, I'm
a little, too old, to, be playing guessing-games,soooo,
"whatever"!:rolleyes::p:confused:

Phyllis

[Toad]

(((Phyllis)))

Sorry to hear about the "snit", however I sit here stunned... you are telling me that you are NOT a mind reader??? :rolleyes:

Well until one or the other changes, either you start reading minds or .. snit decline, maybe a new thread? although...

what brought me to this thread again is interesting (or so I think) ;) . I wrote this to post to you,,, maybe a week ago?..:

Had to share with you, how interesting it is when words can hold an association for someone, in your case “ants” in a song by Dave Matthews Band; Ants Marching.

<end>

which by-the-way has caused great laughter at my end, so thank you for that. :) (obviously also made me think about you)

take care of you

todd

[Ponygirl]

;)You're the one, who, can read minds!!:eek:
Thank you, so much, for pulling this up, again! I really needed it!
:(Read my last thread in the Depression forum.:(

Phyllis

[Ponygirl]

:rolleyes:Wish, it could continue!!:p It *was* fun!!:(

Phyllis