It was a rainy morning in New York City and I had taken myself to breakfast at the sort of old-fashioned diner where the waiters still employ diner lingo.
I love this collocation "reliably revolting coffee" - it's beautiful!
I'm a big diner fan, both the grubby and some of the more salubrious NYC diners. But the greasy spoons with their painfully mediocre coffee are where the action is at.
I'm trying to imagine how you'd say 'rye' - I thought it was usually the schwa /ə/ in the middle of the word (wat'ə) that might give people trouble.
The diner lingo is fascinating, I'm not familiar with it - something to listen carefully for next time I'm at a diner.
I can't claim to be a huge fan of rye toast myself, Bob - wrapped around a sandwich, yes, but I always think if you toast it you lose the texture - I just wanted to hear the diner lingo. Sliced white bread, however, whether toasted or plain, is something I would never choose in any vernacular available to me ...
Thanks for this, Daniel, and it was definitely the opening "r" that was the culprit here. I was talking to an Irish friend yesterday and we both realized that we'd never even noticed the other had different "r" sounds - she can say "toaster" like an American! These days you have actively to seek out diners where they speak the lingo, but they're worth it, I think, if only to support this delightful little piece of American working class history. I've never yet frequented a New York diner, high or low, where the coffee was anything but objectively repugnant, but I always enjoy it anyway because it means I'm in New York. Glad you enjoyed the piece, I always enjoy yours!
I have not noticed the "r" problem....not sure what that says about me!! Love this story
I will weveal all next time we meet, Candi!
I love this collocation "reliably revolting coffee" - it's beautiful!
I'm a big diner fan, both the grubby and some of the more salubrious NYC diners. But the greasy spoons with their painfully mediocre coffee are where the action is at.
I'm trying to imagine how you'd say 'rye' - I thought it was usually the schwa /ə/ in the middle of the word (wat'ə) that might give people trouble.
The diner lingo is fascinating, I'm not familiar with it - something to listen carefully for next time I'm at a diner.
Brilliant!
Let's call it a different way to imitate the action of the tiger, Pauline! Glad you liked the story ...
A good lesson in linguistics, Gabrielle!
High praise from your learned self, Ann! Glad you enjoyed the story ...
Although I'm no fan of rye bread, I remain mystified about white toast - is that not just bread ? Or... am I missing the pun here ?
I can't claim to be a huge fan of rye toast myself, Bob - wrapped around a sandwich, yes, but I always think if you toast it you lose the texture - I just wanted to hear the diner lingo. Sliced white bread, however, whether toasted or plain, is something I would never choose in any vernacular available to me ...
Thanks for this, Daniel, and it was definitely the opening "r" that was the culprit here. I was talking to an Irish friend yesterday and we both realized that we'd never even noticed the other had different "r" sounds - she can say "toaster" like an American! These days you have actively to seek out diners where they speak the lingo, but they're worth it, I think, if only to support this delightful little piece of American working class history. I've never yet frequented a New York diner, high or low, where the coffee was anything but objectively repugnant, but I always enjoy it anyway because it means I'm in New York. Glad you enjoyed the piece, I always enjoy yours!