Let's call the whole thing off

You sat tomato, and I say to-mah-to,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

Words & Music by Ira & George Gershwin

Recorded by Fred Astaire, 1937

From the movie "Shall We Dance?"

At our house we have frequent discussions about language, pronunciation and Proper English. None of us speak or write "Proper English" We just like to argue about it.

There is the never ending debate about MAYVILLEESE, that is, the language specific to Mayville. For instance, some long time Mayville residents, when referring to their hair,,,,,,,,,,speak in the plural form,,,,,,,,,,such as

Michele: "Oh, Agatha, your hair looks lovely today."

Agatha: " Thank you, I just had them cut and warshed."

Drives me crazy!

Ghen uses British English frequently, and we have some interesting discussions about words. He reminded me recently that I am using the term "ghetto" incorrectly, and he is right, but so am I.

My daughters use it this way, as an adjective :

Jane hid her head in embarrassment as her mom shamelessly committed the ghetto act of stuffing the restaurant's bread rolls, sugar packets, and silverware in her purse

I use it this way, as a noun:

John's paranoia about triple-checking whether or not he's locked his car doors comes from his growing up in the ghetto

And Ghen insists on this definition, also a noun:

Area in which the Nazis contained the Jews prior to being taken to concentration camps

Hitler created ghettos in WWII Germany

I think Ghen uses the word ghetto as a non-American English speaker might, I use it as many Americans do.

Now, for the tomato/ tomahto part. Here we have a tabby sniffing some tabi.

Ghen is having senior portraits done tomorrow (weather permitting), and he will wear a traditional kimono for some of them. He needed toe socks (tabi), so I improvised some with the sewing machine.