Mystery solved! Linguistic expert explains why Black Country folk pronounce certain place names differently
Karma or Cald-more? A leading linguistic expert has set residents straight on the West Midland's strangest-sounding area.
Cald-more or Karma? The argument over the pronunciation of one of Walsall's major areas has been a discussion that has split households for generations.
Now, in an exclusive talk with one of the Black country's leading linguistic experts, and after talking to residents, we finally have the answer.
According to Professor Jayne Carroll, a leading linguistic professor at the Institute of Place Names, University of Nottingham, the strange pronunciation is nothing more than the simple adaptation of regional dialects over time.
Professor Carroll said: "The Caldmore one is interesting - it reminds me of somewhere like Smethwick, where the pronunciation has changed from 'Smith Wick' to 'Smethwick' to some people going as far as 'Smerrick.'
