Noting the comments on pronunciation:

My mother grew up on a small farm in Central MS; my father in small town FA
and North & Central FL.  While they were divided by certain cuisinary ideas,
they were united in speech.  Even as a very young child I had to distinguish
cot/caught, wen/when, and pen/pin, and not confused the vowels of God, frog,
and dog.  My parents were quite prejudiced on the subject: it was a matter
of class--neither set of grandparents was well-to-do--however, as a small
child listening to adults (listening was allowed; commenting was not;
questions were for parents after the other adults left). Around 1942 in a
small town in Central FL, I heard the joke, What do you call White trash who
inherit money?  "rich White trash"  I did not wish to sound like White trash
so I was very careful in my speech.  I do not mean to insult those of a
different dialect but to explain why, growing up in the 40's, I kept such
phonetic distinctions clear and taught them to my children--without
mentioning any class issues.

Scott Catledge

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