Rob
I believe the town in the Carolinas was, within living memory, still
pronounced 'rawley' by some. While I was of the impression that Mar-VELL had
been established beyond doubt as the sound the poet would have recognised.
Two Midlands towns are of interest: 'Shrewsbury' where the 'Shrow'
pronounciation, still widely used but falling into disuse by the
inhabitants, is pure Elizabethan - Shakespeare's play is of the taming of a
'shrow'; while Southwell, 'Suth'ell', in Notts, where again the influx of
newcomers is resulting in the vernacular version dying out: people who live
in half-a-million pound houses don't affect Nottingham dialect, yet the old
sound is inextricably linked with the cathedral and the racescourse, which
remain 'Suth'ell Minster' and 'Suth'ell Races'. I'm told the big public
school in Shrewsbury too retains the old style.
On 23 October 2010 13:54, Robin Hamilton <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> Yeah.
>
> Aren't poets' names a bugger, though? Isn't there a sounding of Thomas
> Carew that has him as "Carey"? Rally is of course Rawly, otherwise Jimmy
> the Sixth and Once couldn't have punned on his name -- "I hae heard right
> rawly o ye". Real reason why Jimmy slapped him in the Tower -- Ralegh
> [spelling -- sic!] failed to laugh.
>
> And as to whether you stress "Marvell" on the first or second syllable ...
>
> Beats me.
>
> Rodent (pronounced Rooney as in Wain)
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "David Bircumshaw" <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 1:19 PM
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: William Cowper
>
>
> Cooper. His distant descendant J.C.Powys was John Cooper.
>>
>> On 23 October 2010 13:03, Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]
>> >wrote:
>>
>> William Cowper ---please could some tell me is it pronounced Cow-per or
>>> is
>>> it Cooper? Or both or other???
>>>
>>> I realise that the Ozzies Canadians American s even Finns let alone
>>> Canadians will perhaps have their own
>>>
>>> And I expect the Rodent etc will give me a whole range depending on date
>>> district etc
>>>
>>> Cheers Patrick the speachless
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> (David Joseph) The Brothers Bircumshaw
>> "Every old house was scaffolding once/And workmen whistling"
>> Website and A Chide's Alphabet
>> http://www.staplednapkin.org.uk
>> The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
>> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/david.bircumshaw
>> twitter: http://twitter.com/bucketshave
>> blog: http://groggydays.blogspot.com/
>>
>
--
(David Joseph) The Brothers Bircumshaw
"Every old house was scaffolding once/And workmen whistling"
Website and A Chide's Alphabet
http://www.staplednapkin.org.uk
The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/david.bircumshaw
twitter: http://twitter.com/bucketshave
blog: http://groggydays.blogspot.com/
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