SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE NEW ENGLANDER 2

Today's lesson in New Englandese is in honor of Terry and all
of the H.O.G.S. bloggers: ham.

No, not the kind you eat. This "ham" is the ending of many towns'
names in Massachusetts and other New England towns.

To paraphrase Mr. Rogers, "one of these 'hams' is not like the
others." Can you guess which one?

Gorham
Wilbraham
Chatham

Here's another three:

Framingham
Dedham
Wareham.

In the first group, the answer is Wilbraham (Will bra ham) and in
the second, Framingham. (exactly as it looks...Framing ham)

In the others, "ham" becomes "em" or "um":

Gorham (Gor um)
Chatham (Chat em)
Wareham (Ware em)
Dedham (Ded um)


And I've no idea why it's one way for some and the other way
for others.

I just speak it, I don't explain it!