[ExI] Linguistic Markers of Class

[gts]

On Sun, 27 May 2007 18:27:36 -0400, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com> wrote:

> I am merely describing what I think is the best chance of identifying a  
> person's background or social class (lower, middle, upper).

I understand that, Lee. Seems to me the book you describe might be  
described as a sort manual for pigeon-holing people into the lower, middle  
or upper classes. Am I wrong? If I'm not wrong, then I'm sorry, but having  
been to so many places and met so many people I find that idea at least  
mildly repugnant. I hope the humor of the book makes up for the cultural  
elitism that it seems to endorse. :)

But, in any case, getting back into the spirit you intended for this  
thread <smile> here is an example of a "linguistic marker of class" that I  
have encountered in my travels:

I once met and dated a pretty gal from the south. As pretty and sweet as  
can be! She reminded me of the old Beach Boys song:

"And the Southern girls with the way they talk, they knock me out when I'm  
down there... I wish they all could be California girls!"

But I'm not really sure I like the way some southern girls talk. At least  
not this one. This southern girl had a bad verbal habit with the way she  
talked and it didn't knock me out when I was down there.

Among other things she used the word "knowed" to mean "knew", as in "I  
knowed you wanted to talk to me tonight, so I called you." Argh! :)

She was a sweetie-pie, but me being an extropian and all, with knowledge  
of something close to proper English and a reputation to keep, eventually  
I had to face the fact that we just weren't right for each other.

-gts