Settn' the rekrd strayt - Ubonics is NOT Southern Drawl

Fowks, the diffrnts butween Ubonics'n'Suthrn drahl is that Ubonics duzn' have a drawwwl, soda speak.  It is not long and twangy, as many would venture to interpret the phonetic spellings of its words.

Ubonics is a combination of Scandinavian influence and laziness.  It is contractions where contractions don't belong.  Fowks, kntrakshns bilong in the d'livrih-room, and anywhere in the In'rmeowt'n West.  Which, if you think about it, is refreshingly appropriate given the high birth rate in the region. I mean, reej'n.

Now, on to an observation made by one of our readers:

"We wz overda Login gettn'arr pitchrs took'n by a pher-taw-gri-fr."

Thank you, A.S., for that keen recognition of Ubonics at its peak of perfection.  You are a true native.

Brothers'n Sisters, Prpeer yerselfs!

While it may appear that I am neglecting to add content, it is only because I am gearing up for an upcoming weekend trip to Utah.  After my 4-day stint in the heart of Ubonic America, I will have a wealth of new content. In fact, I hope to post the next weekly lesson ON-SITE at Scott Dairy Farm in good ole Fielding (pronounce "FILL-deen").

I can hardly wait - I'm like a puppy dog on white carpet!

The Daily Phrase

Here ya go, fohks - probly the hardist one ever!

BONNIEJEAN'S CUM'NOVRTA SEYUS 'N2MUNTS'N WERJSGUNASET'N VIZUTFRAUHWRS 'NGITALLKODUP WITHEECHUTHR'S LIFES

We have a winner!

Jeremy was spot-on with his response to today's phrase: 


I reckon that you haven't come and visited me for probably eleven years. 


You are a native!  Kngrajilayshns!

The Daily Phrase

Shr wanna paulajize ifa mayja feel 'glekt'd the pass kupla days.  Guessa gaw' bizee with sm theens.

Clarification (and this will be treated in next week's lesson):  The apostrophe (') is used heavily in Ubonics to replace consonants that native speakers omit.  For example, in the above sentence, the word "got" is never pronounced "GOT" as in English.  Rather, the "t" is stricken, and the pronunciation of the word "got" ends with a guttural sort of grunt something akin to a glottal stop.

Therefore, with words ending in a hard "t" sound, you will pronounce them as follows: "gaw[grunt sound]".

Soon I will add audio clips to the blog for your study and review.

Now, onto today's phrase:

I REK'N HEYAYN' CUM'NVIZ'TD MEFR PROBLEE LEV'NYEARS

Again, I am looking for a colloquial translation, not a literal one.  Render is like a proper Englishman for extra credit.

First to the finish line wins "Native for the Day"!

The answer to Friday's phrase

Kngraj'layshns ta Lindsay, the winner'v Frydee's phrase:


Seer-yislee, ya gots-ta tell'm-ta layoff'n'ya!


Translation: "Seriously, you have to tell them to lay off you!"


Again, the focus is on a true colloquial English translation.  To translate literally would mean to say...


"Seriously, you gots to tell them to lay off on you" ...


Which we all know just makes zero sense.  But Ubonics speakers would readily identify the meaning.  


The trouble is there are precious few native Ubonics speakers outside of the Intermountain West, and so it stans-ta reez'n you would be easily misunderstood. 

The Weekly Lesson: "To Be"

Like ta welcumyall out ta this week's less'n.  Were gunna dss-Guss a very mpoor'n' verb: TO BE.

First, let's conjugate it in the present tense:

I'z (or) I'm   as in "I'z thuh smrt'st stood'n' thuh class"

Youz (or) Yer  as in "Yer tak'n rowl in this class, ayncha?

Heez/Sheez/Its  as in "Its look'n like its gunna shtahrm tuday"

Weez (or) Wer  as in "Wer over ta thuh Walmarts, where'r' you?"

Theyz (or) There (or) Them'r  as in "There gowun' bowlun', yawna go too?" or "Them'r sa-daaaayng KYEW'!!"


Now, the past tense is easy:

I'z  as in "I'z set'n-up fer the meet'n wenah hrd you zup here frm Tremot'n"

Youz (as in the above example, but notice how it elides with the next word "up", because it begins with a vowel
Also acceptable: You wz

Heez/Sheez/Its  as in "Yestrdee heez be niz yoozhl self, a seer-yis pain'n thuh neck"

Weez (or) We wz  as in "We wz overta thuh Dezrit Indistrees kupla munts ago wen we seen yer ant"

Theyz (or) They wz  as in "They wz js sa happy ta see ya!"

Be shr'n looket tuday's poll!

The answer to yesterday's phrase

Yesterday's phrase ended up being harder than I thought it would be for ya.  Even the natives couldn't decipher it - totally.  Let's remind ourselves what it was:

Thuh carn gits su'dang tawl overta thuh fawrth wawrd!

Ashley came the closest with her "The corn gets so dang tall over at the fourth ward."  But to be a true literal translation, one must change the preposition "at" with "to" to maintain the true meaning of the Ubonics phrase.  Now, don't be confused with the instruction on today's phrase, which is to give a true English translation, not a literal word-for-word.

Fer awlin tents'n prpss's, Ashley is the winner!  But the true answer is:

"The corn gets so dang tall over to the 4th Ward!"

Going forward, the responder who renders the truest idiomatic and colloquial translation will win.  All in favor, please man-fest.  Any pohz'd?

The Daily Phrase

Now, one of you loyal followers is disqualified from answering today's phrase.  You know who you are, the Lawrd is ma witnss.

Here it is:

Seer-yislee, ya gots-ta tell'm-ta layoff'n'ya!


Do not translate literally - as with yesterday's phrase, we are going for the best English translation, the way an English speaker would say it, not a literal word-for-word rendition.


Good luck!

Today's Phrase

Today's Ubonics phrase may throw ya fer a loop.  Then again, it's prity straightfawrwawrd.  As before, first to translate correctly gets bragging rights:

Thuh carn gits su'dang tawl overta thuh fawrth wawrd!

Good luck.  Doncha wish ther wuza dix'shnary fer this?

We have a winner!

Kngraj'layshns to Mike Johnson for correctly identifying today's phrase: "Did you write in your journal?"  You are a true native.

The first response by Little Wolf was correct in all respects except for one very important phonetic distinction.  In Ubonics, the first words "did you" are elided so that they make the sound "joo".  But when "did you" is coupled with a verb, such as "write", then the "oo" sound is removed, and you are left with "Jryt".  But, as you well know from yesterday's lesson, the "t" is replaced by " 'n " and you are left with " Jry' ".

Essentially, Ubonics embraces staunch conservatism of vowels, relying heavily on the speaker/writer to exploit consonants not only for percussive, plosive, and liquid sounds, but also for vowel production.  Hang in there, everybody, Rome wz'n' bil'na day!

Announcing: The Phrase of the Day

The first person to correctly translate the following Ubonics phrase will win today's bragging rights.  Post your English translation in the Comments.  Wish'nya thuh best uv luk!

JRY'NYRJRNL

Yes, it is a complete sentence, and no, the letters are not scrambled.

Hint: it is something one might ask at the end of an eventful day.

Thuh wrst thing that kin hap'n iz yoo git'r wrawng!

Now I can blog about a word when I hear it, thanks to mobile blogging!

Lesson 1: "n" words

Welcome to my blog, Ubonics, where we explore the English language as only dyed-in-the-wool, born-in-the-covenant Utahns can speak it. Today's lesson focuses on 'n' words. A whole bunch of words contain this simple sound, and the best way to describe it is to spell it out phonetically.

For example:

fix'n = fixing

quit'n = quitting

grut'n = grunting

...and my personal favorite

Treemot'n = Tremonton, the sprawling suburb of Fielding, where I grew up.

Vote for your favorite 'n' word in this week's poll!

Next week's lesson: "We was"