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"Out a" vs "Outta".

Vincent Berg ๐Ÿšซ

A certain author, whose work I love, due the unique, easily identifiable character's voice, wrote "When I got out a the truck". That's a deep Souther USA expression, which I've grown up and lived in. But the expression isn't "out a", it's "outta", as it's spoken as a single utterance, which the South is renowned for.

The particular author doesn't allow feedback, but it's always helpful to point out these types of things, as you never know when you'll write either a Southerner story or a Southerner character. So it's hardy keeping it in your pocket till you'll need it.

That said, this is the first time he's gotten a 'Southernism' wrong, as he's got a decent feel for the localism (how languages tend to vary from one area to another).

And for the author, this isn't a criticism, merely an observation to help others, so you can do with it what you will. It didn't make me outta the tale, other than the time it took posting it here. (It was in Chapter 27, by the way.)

By the way, I don't speak southern anymore, yet I'm more than familiar with it.

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@Vincent Berg

Hmm, Interesting. Personally, I would associate 'outta' more with the northeast, particularly New Jersey.

Replies:   Crumbly Writer
Crumbly Writer ๐Ÿšซ

@Dominions Son

Yep, those regional usages are similar in certain ways, as I've lived in both. So I suspect it's a matter of who migrated to which location

Switch Blayde ๐Ÿšซ

@Vincent Berg

That's a deep Souther USA expression

I grew up in NYC using "outta." Like "gonna," "wanna," "whatcha," etc.

Replies:   Mat Twassel
Mat Twassel ๐Ÿšซ

@Switch Blayde

In Joisey you might hear it "oudda."

Replies:   Switch Blayde
Switch Blayde ๐Ÿšซ

@Mat Twassel

In Joisey you might hear it "oudda."

I remember meeting a staff member when I took a new job in Arizona. Her name was Brenda. I wasn't new to Arizona but she told me I pronounced her name like Billy Joel (in the song "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant") where he pronounced Brenda in "Brenda and Eddie" as Brender.

So, yeah, I might think "outta" but say "oudda."

jimq2 ๐Ÿšซ

@Vincent Berg

I don't have an accent, you do! I spent my formative years in western Pennsylvania, and then the northeast with all my summers in Virginia. Just imaging my middle school teachers trying to correct my western PA/VA pronunciation. The combined influences frequently have people asking if I'm from the Toronto area.

REP ๐Ÿšซ

@Vincent Berg

I think this is a regional matter.

I think i am at least reasonably proficient in US English and I never heard of 'otta'. I use 'out of''.

Replies:   awnlee jawking  ptm042
awnlee jawking ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

I believe 'outta' is a transliteration of a dialect version of 'out of'.

AJ

Replies:   Switch Blayde
Switch Blayde ๐Ÿšซ
Updated:

@awnlee jawking

I believe 'outta' is a transliteration of a dialect version of 'out of'.

Contraction is probably the wrong word, but it's more of a contraction. Actually, a bastardization or slurring of words. Probably from speaking fast which is why I would have expected it more in NYC than the South.

Outta, gonna, wanna, whatcha, gotta, sorta, gotcha

ETA: Looking at the words that came to me, do all of these things end with an "a"?

Replies:   helmut_meukel
helmut_meukel ๐Ÿšซ

@Switch Blayde

Outta, gonna, wanna, whatcha, gotta, sorta, gotcha

Seems in most cases to be contractions with either 'of' or 'to' or in the -cha cases with 'you'.
outta = out of;
sorta = sort of;
kinda = kind of;

gonna = going to;
hafta = have to;
gotta = got to;
wanna = want to (I wanna go home!)
or want a (I wanna puppy!);

gotcha = got you;
whatcha, actually three different contractions, always with 'you':
what + are + you (Whatcha doin'? or Whatcha talking 'bout?)
what +โ€Ž have +โ€Ž you (Whatcha been up to?)
what +โ€Ž do +โ€Ž you (Whatcha think? or Whatcha wanna do now?)
As you can see above I found two more: kinda and hafta, but I guess there are a few more.
Seems all those we found got slurred to ending with an 'a'.

HM.

ptm042 ๐Ÿšซ

@REP

"Otta" as in 'I ought to' do something.....I outa do it.

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