Harry and Hairy - The Difference.

[sistermagpie]

Steve:
> Is it the difference between 'car' and 'air'?
> 
> Harr-ee and Hair-ee? 
> 
> Pehaps the problem is that we have reached the limits
> of the extent to which differences can be conveyed in
> printed words or phrases? 
> 
> Still, even though we haven't really resolved anything,
> it's been interesting to explore the cultural 
> differences in language.
> 
> I still say in the region I'm in, in common daily
> speech, virtually no one would make any distinction
> between any of the words discussed.

Magpie:
This is one of the most basic distinctions in regional accents in the 
US as well, isn't it? Where I'm from the distinction would be common.

The trouble is, it's hard to write out the difference because people 
who pronounce it "Hairy-y" pronounce most a's like that. There's not 
a word I could use as an example that you probably wouldn't pronounce 
differently to begin with. I remember trying to explain it to friends 
who pronounced me sister's name "Cair-a" instead of "Car-a" 
(the "car" in that case *not* pronounced like the word car). Harr-ee 
vs. Hair-ee is probably as close as you'll come writing it out.

-m (who also makes a distinction between merry, mary and marry--with 
only marry rhyming with Harry)