💧 Why we say wooder like we do | Morning Newsletter
And a deadly chocolate factory explosion.
The Morning Newsletter
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☀️ Here comes the sun.
We’re talking about how Philly came to pronounce wooder the way we do so go down the rabbit hole with us.
And Jeff McLane has a new Iggles podcast worth a listen.
If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
You know you’re from the general vicinity of the Rocky statue when you pronounce the “OO” in water with a certain roundness. Who could forget Kate Winslet’s actorly performance as she nailed the accent as the hoagie-fueled detective in Mare of Easton? It’s something we accept about Philly-area natives in a you say tomato, we say wooder way.
But now, we’re digging into why exactly we say wooder the way we do. Versatile reporter Ximena Conde can explain the backstory. She breaks down linguistic theories, how language is constantly changing, and even talked to readers about the nuances of it all. Spoiler alert: Apparently there are some new Philly accents.
A lovely way to start your Sunday is to dive into the evolution of “wooder” by the reporter who once penned a wistful goodbye note from the “evolved” Phanatic. This story is presented in such a fun way with a beautiful timeline, so grab your H20 because this is the kind of history content everyone can appreciate is the why behind “wooder.”
What you should know today
The search continued Saturday for four missing people following an explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory that killed at least three people.
Cleared of a Philly murder in 2017, he has been charged in a new homicide.
Two moms who ate poppy seed bagels sue hospitals over false positive prenatal drug tests.
City Council is debating rent control and business groups are not happy.
We have a guide to breaking Ramadan fast in Philly with all the halal hot chicken.
Students at the Norristown Islamic Society made crafts last week to mark the start of Ramadan.
Lane Johnson and the Eagles agreed to a one-year contract extension to the tune of $33.445 million.
The Broad Street Run will offer prizes to the fastest nonbinary athletes this year.
Ukrainian ballet students are seeking solace and learning at Philly’s Rock School.
❓Pop quiz❓
Which is something that happens in bachelor and bachelorette parties in a recent story Taylor told you about?
A) catered beach picnics
B) snowmobile tours
C) chartered yachts
D) rosé popsicle-making
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
The restaurant that used to be Melinda’s
ALONSO
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to John PIernikowski who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Mill Creek.
Photo of the day
🎶 For today’s Sunday track, we’re listening to “We come from the land of the ice and snow ... from the midnight sun where the hot springs flow. 🎶
👋🏽 Enjoy the rest of the weekend. I’ll be at my friend’s party celebrating the Persian New Year at Ulana’s.