The southern touch

When I look up the word bodacious, I find something that language purists love.  Before even giving the word's definition, I see the word "slang."  Continuing to read, I find that the word originated in the southern U.S. around 1837.  I also see that the word is the result of dialect (southern in the U.S. and Cornwall in the U.K.).  Finally, there is a definition.

My goodness.  Who would want to use such a slang word from southern dialect?  Heaven forbid that someone would knowingly degrade himself or herself by exposing such a word in his or her vocabulary!

Well, I for one like eating at one of my favorite barbeque joints, Bodacious.  I think it is pleasing to the ear to hear the southern drawl pronounce the word boo-daaa-ee-sh-us.  And as far as its origin goes (body + audacious), I absolutely see a ravishing and particular southern beauty's's figure behind the pronunciation.  Nothing "slang" ever comes to mind.

And here's a note to the purists - every word's from one dialect or another.  If it's not yours, then grieve, I guess, but don't impose.  I don't see the word "dialect" for the three pronunciations of clandestine, or the two pronunciations of obstacle and debacle, or the four pronunciations of pecan.  I don't see the word "slang" for the use of the word bag, which would never be used in the south, for purse.  Examples not only abound, they exist for every grammatical category and for every sound.  Ever hear a Canadian pronounce the word about (aboot)?  See, there's a northern dialect just as crazy sounding as the south.

Seriously, who writes these dictionaries.  Oh yeah, the ladies who wear ankle-length skirts with tennis shoes and the men who actually tie their bow ties that match their sweaters - people who have never experienced an audacious body, I guess.  If they'd make the trip south, they would have the word bodacious rolling off their tongues regularly.