Why Do Some People Say "Impordant"?
Plus, features of Black English that are rooted in white dialects.
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This week, inquiring minds, such as that of April Redford Eby, want to know about things such as:
For the past couple of years I’ve noticed that some people are saying “important” differently, but I can’t pin it down to a specific geographical area. It always strikes me when I hear it, and I turn it over and over in my mouth. The other day I broached this with my (79-year-old) dad, who was immediately electrified with fervor (haha!) and I was so thrilled that someone else had noticed this! But we still don’t know why.
She included a recording, and what she means is people saying “impordant” rather than “important”:
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