BROOKLYNESE

Longtime residents of Brooklyn are famous (at least in myth) for pronouncing their "words" like "woids". "D'ja hear da boids choiping on toity-toid street?" being a classic example. Sometimes this change produces an entirely new word. For example, "hurl" becomes "Hoyle" (authority on card game rules). Can you give the standard word for each definition below and then the "new" Brooklynese version?

1. Poetry

2. Contented cat sounds

3. Get an education

4. Roll up, as a flag

5. In the lead

6. In the wee hours

 

Bonus question:

Can you think of the first line of a well-known children's poem that has two Brooklynese words in it? The first one is not a real word, but second one is.

 

Answers:

 

1. Verse - voice

2. Purrs - poise

3. Learn - loin

4. Furl - foil

5. First - foist

6. Early - oily

 

Bonus question:

There was a little goil who had a little coil,

Right in the middle of her forehead.

 

Credit:

The Puzzlemaster Presents

Will Shortz