Pronouncing Bagel

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, my name is Libby, and I’m calling from North Freedom, Wisconsin.

Hi, how you doing, Libby? Welcome to the show.

Thanks. My mom and I have been arguing about the word bagel.

And she thinks that the only way to say it is bagel.

And I believe that it can also be pronounced bagel.

And my family laughs at me whenever I say that.

And no one else I’ve asked has ever heard bagel.

Did I just make that up, or is it actually pronounced that way?

Let me ask you, where do you think you picked it up from?

I don’t really know where.

I just asked my family, like, I want a bagel one day, and they laughed at me.

And do your friends say it that way?

I don’t think so.

Is somebody else there that we can talk to in your family so we can hear how they say it?

Yeah, my mom’s here.

Hi, my name’s Janet.

Hi, Janet.

Welcome to the program.

Thanks.

So the word is B-A-G-E-L.

How do you say it?

It’s the lox and bagel.

Lox and bagel.

You know, we put, I guess I pronounce it like by the bay,

And she’s pronouncing it like bag lady kind of thing.

Yeah.

Bag lady.

You know, like B-A-G, like a bag you would hold a grocery sack or something like that,

And I’m pronouncing it B-A-Y-G-E-L kind of thing.

And we don’t know where she got it, but we just kind of chuckle and look at her like,

What are you talking about when she says that?

So do you give her one when she asks for one?

Oh, sure, sure.

So I think I hear something happening here, Martha.

I hear it.

I think I hear a vowel shift taking place.

And Libby, it’s entirely possible that if you were to quiz, how old are you, Libby?

I’m 14.

If you were to quiz most of your friends who are within a year or two of your age,

I bet you’d find a number who pronounce it the same way you do.

Okay.

There’s something happening in that part of the country called a vowel shift,

And it’s not quite going this way, but it’s where a word like bag,

And actually, Janet, I heard it in your voice,

Counts out a little more like bag.

And so there are some other things happening there with vowels as well,

Particularly where long A sounds can do other things.

They become, well, the linguists and the phoneticians would say

It’s being lowered and backed.

It’s being performed.

That vowel is being performed in a different part of the mouth.

And so you will find numerous places online where people are disputing the pronunciation of this word

Because there is a part of the country that does not say bagel.

Okay.

They say bagel.

And it’s not bagel.

Like we’ve been exaggerated, but it’s bagel.

Well, Grant, are you saying that this is a trend that more and more young people are going to be saying it this way?

I think there’s some limited evidence that seems to show that these vowel changes are happening more in the language of young people whose language is more fluid in general.

And it’s kind of more fixed in the older set.

That’s really interesting.

So Libby, you’re on the cutting edge.

Wow.

Congratulations.

That’s not to say that, I mean, having grown up obviously in a family myself, you’re fair game for being made fun of.

You realize that.

No matter if we’re validating your pronunciation or not, it’s fair game for a little bit of teasing.

Just as long as you get your bagel at the end, though.

Yeah.

Well, Libby, do you feel better now?

Yeah.

I would if I were you.

Mm—

You don’t sound convinced.

Thank you.

You’re welcome.

We’re glad to help out here.

The 14-year-olds of the world will one day inherit it.

Okay.

I’ll put up with it.

Thank you, Janet.

Thank you, Libby.

I don’t think you have a choice, Janet.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Bye.

Bye.

Well, if you’re having a family dispute about a word, give us a call.

The number’s 1-877-929-9673.

That’s 1-877-WAYWORD, W-A-Y-W-O-R-D.

Or you can send an email to words@waywordradio.org.