'Nor'easter' vs. 'NORTHeaster': OK, Adam brings up a very interesting Boston argument that's been bugging me for a while. Is it 'Nor'easter' or 'NORTHeaster'? ... I'm with the Universal Hub Daughter - to a degree. I was raised in a house in which it was impossible for my mother to pronounce 'Nor'easter' because it included TWO ' r 's. She was from Somerville. So it was really something like 'Noth-eastah.' ... I would submit this whole argument is similar to those who pushed the 'Curse' vs. those who never heard of the 'Curse' until a certain sportswriter started beating it into the ground in the late 1980s. But, to be fair, many people born and raised in these parts distinctly remember 'Nor'easter.' So I say, let the tapes roll from the '78 Blizzard -- or something earlier. Let's see if they were putting such a heavy emphasis on 'Nor'easter,' which I've always assumed was a recent invention of TV types desperately trying to be local hip, or something else. ... Of course, my own way of saying it is a cross between 'Nor'easter' and 'NORTHeaster.' More like 'North-eastah,' with a very quick 'th', depending on my mood and the position of the moon and the number of gin and tonics in me.

P.S. -- The greatest piece of evidence in my favor is that national network TV people love to use 'Nor'easter', just as they loved 'The Curse,' a sure sign I'm right, or at least closer to the truth.

P.S. P.S. -- And don't get me going on how to pronounce 'beautiful.' My uncle used to say 'bee-ah-yoot-iful.'

P.S.P.S.P.S. -- Hub Blog is certainly open to the idea that 'nor'easter' is a Maine/North Shore accent (whatever) that somehow found it way into the mainstream New England lexicon. But I would argue it's a rather recent phenomenon. I don't recall its use as a youth.


Update -- Reader No. 1 is siding with Adam:

"'Nor'easter' is definitely the Boston native pronunciation, as in 'down the Nort'end.'

"'Northeaster' is clumsy, too Harvard Yard (sorry Hub Blog, no offense meant). Why would you pronounce 'th' in North if you were going to leave the 'n' off '...eastern?'

"Suburban passing for Boston native pronunciation would extend the 'r's to 'Norrreaster' - often how we hear it from nauseatingly enthusiastic weather afficianados like Dick Albert (sorry Dick, no offense meant)."

Update II -- Adam has more thoughts and, while tipping his hat to the obvious logic of the network-TV argument, thinks 'nor'easter' just sounds better. I can't argue with taste and sentiment. But I still need more evidence of the history of 'nor'easter.' I think we've fairly deduced that, yes, some people did and have historically used and heard it (Reader No. 1), while others have not (yours truly). But when did it start getting flashed onto TV screens and literally shoved into news stories, without quotes around it, as if it's a real word? When did it take over as semi-official terminology? I think -- know -- it's been recent. I will not concede the argument until someone shows me hard proof!  ¶ 9:24 PM