Date:  Mon, 7 Jul 1997 13:57:08 -0500
From:  Grant Barrett <gbarrett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]JERRYNET.COM>
Subject: RE>Boyer or BOOyer

Anecdotally, I'd have to say that's an aberration. My roots and my family are from southern
Missouri, and except for the Arkansas-Missouri variation of the Southern accent, there's no
reason except family preference that Boyer shouldn't be pronounced BOI-err.

Looking at the way the jaw is set when that particular vowel is pronounced, though, does remind
me of that peculiar variation of the Southern accent found in Missouri and Arkansas.

Grant Barrett
gbarrett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]dfjp.com

--------------------------------------
Date: 7/7/97 1:10 PM
To: Grant Barrett
From: (Dale F. Coye)
Just met a guy from the Ozarks (S. Mo.) and we were talking about some folks
named Boyer.  He told me that in his neck of the woods there were lots of
Boyers, but they (and he) pronounced it BOOyer, with the vowel of BOOK.

1) is this a widespread feature for this word, or limited to the Ozarks?

2) Does it extend to other OY words? (Toy, oil, Moyers, point)

3) Any theories on why it was raised?

Dale Coye
Princeton, NJ