Southern syllables

This week the Preschooler came home with a worksheet that asked her to practice counting the number of syllables in each of the following words:

I was checking them off and all was going well with this until we got to the word “crocodile.”

Me: OK. What about crocodile? How many syllables does that one have?

The Preschooler {counting syllables on her fingers as she says each one out loud}: Crock-uh-dye-uhl. Four. It has four.

Me: Are you sure about that?

The Preschooler: Yes. Crock-uh-dye-uhl. Four.

I mean, how can I argue with that?

This is the problem with syllables in the south. We like them. We like them a lot. And if a word doesn’t have enough syllables in it to satisfy us, we just add one… or two.

For example…

please: puh-lease

help: hay-elp

boil: boy-yuhl

door: doe-oor

m’aam: may-am

milk: mih-ulk

awhile: uh-why-uhl

smile: smi-uhl

We’re multi syllabic people. So, I just don’t think we’re ever going to be great with tests of this sort.

And, if syllables aren’t confusing enough in this part of the country, then we try to teach young children to spell words phonetically with a Southern accent.

Here’s a writing sample from the First Grader’s journal earlier this fall:

She did. She went down “thar” to Alabama for three days to visit her “annt” and “unkl.” I surely hope I don’t sound like this when I talk. But, I fear I must. So, at this point, if she can just learn what part of speech “thar” is, I’ll be happy enough.

Or, maybe I should say I’ll be “happy as a pig in mud.”

And, while I’m on the topic of Southern grammar… in case anyone has ever wondered about the appropriate use of the word “y’all” when referencing a group, Wikipedia has this to say about it:

Some people misinterpret the phrase “all y’all” as meaning that Southerners use the “y’all” as singular and “all y’all” as plural. However, “all y’all” is used to specify that all members of the second person plural (i.e., all persons currently being addressed and/or all members of a group represented by an addressee) are included; that is, it operates in contradistinction to “some of y’all,” thereby functioning similarly to “all of you” in standard English. {from wikipedia: Southern American English}

It’s a bit confusing, but apparently there are rules for y’all. And, not just for some of y’all, but for all y’all. So, take heed. I’d hate for any of y’all to get all may-essed up on this.