End of ADS-L Digest - 15 Jun 1998 to 16 Jun 1998
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<br>There are 26 messages totalling 643 lines in this issue.
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<br>Topics of the day:
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<br>  1. guzillions
<br>  2. New Verb? (5)
<br>  3. e-mail/paper mail (10)
<br>  4. henna? (2)
<br>  5. Virtual Graffito
<br>  6. Neologism?: Cybrarian (5)
<br>  7. snail mail
<br>  8. Transatlantic E-mail
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<br>----------------------------------------------------------------------
<br>
<br>Date:    Wed, 17 Jun 1998 00:22:24 -0700
<br>From:    Bill King <wfking[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]GOTNET.NET>
<br>Subject: Re: guzillions
<br>
<br>The basis of the difference is phonetic.  Guh is Northern.  Gah is Western and Midland.   What do people say in New Orleans?
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<br>In the West, where Otto = auto, gazillion.  On the East Coast, guzillion.
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<br>There are godzooms of other guh- gah- words out there.   Is it possible that
<br>the g+vowel is based on 1) a nonsense syllable meant to convey  the notion of disbelief, and that possibly this is based on "God," as in "God knows!" or
<br>"God Almighty...!" a la gadzooks?
<br>
<br>Bill King
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<br>
<br>A. Vine wrote:
<br>
<br>> Avi Arditti wrote:
<br>> >
<br>> >
<br>> > Next Sunday the topic will be *g /uh/ zillion.* I have even heard :guzillionaire.: If anyone would like to contribute any thoughts, please do -- I might read your note on the air.
<br>> >
<br>>
<br>> Avi,
<br>> I would write the word "gazillion" rather than "guzillion".  I'm trying to
<br>> figure out why, but I seem to see nonsense or augmentative words in English
<br>> having a "ga" at the beginning:  gaga, gads, gazonga, gargantuan.
<br>> Andrea
<br>>
<br>> P.S.  Is VOA still using Xerox Globalview software?
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