Vowels [was Re: "monty" < "python"]

[Chris Angelico]

On Fri, Mar 22, 2013 at 8:52 AM, Peter Pearson <ppearson at nowhere.invalid> wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:09:52 +1100, Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, Mar 21, 2013 at 8:36 PM, David H Wild <dhwild at talktalk.net> wrote:
>>> In article <MNydnWm7B9i5NdfMnZ2dnUVZ_s6dnZ2d at giganews.com>, Larry Hudson
>>> <orgnut at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> The word "apron" was originally "napron", and over the years the phrase
>>>> "a napron" mutated to "an apron".  So that became the accepted word.
>>>
>>> Similarly, the snake was a nadder - congruent with the natterjack toad.
>>
>> Hey look, snakes, we're back on topic!
>
> Ha!  Great shot, Chris A.
>
> People who enjoy this sort of linguistic diversion would
> very likely enjoy John McWhorter's classes from the Teaching
> Company, which is where I first encountered many of the examples
> given in this thread.

I love a good grammar discussion. Programming requires precise use of
some language, so programmers tend to appreciate precise use of other
languages too. Plus, in one of my other lives, I'm a D&D Dungeon
Master with a reputation for puns and wordplay in my descriptions...
though I'm as often slapped as clapped for them.

ChrisA