I don't think that was intended to be an F-bomb. I think it was a verbal repair. I think he started to say "if they follow", and tried to correct it to "if they can follow." In his dialect, "can" and "kin" are homophones, so it came out as "if they f- kin follow."
What makes more sense? He decided to drop an F-bomb on TV in an official statement, or he verbally stumbled? (though it would be pretty amusing if he wanted to curse, and this was a plausible-deniability cover he came up with).
I had to watch this three times before I could figure out where he supposedly said fuck. It's not even close – he made an ordinary correction. If they fo – can follow.
For me it is the other way round (perhaps primed by the F-bomb super-title). I heard only "f***ing" until I read Bloix' interpretation as "fo – can follow". Now I can hear both,
Bob Moore said,
May 8, 2020 @ 6:20 pm
I don't think that was intended to be an F-bomb. I think it was a verbal repair. I think he started to say "if they follow", and tried to correct it to "if they can follow." In his dialect, "can" and "kin" are homophones, so it came out as "if they f- kin follow."
David Marjanović said,
May 8, 2020 @ 6:57 pm
I agree. It's odd that there's no pause and that he doesn't speed up afterwards, but I don't think that's a STRUT vowel.
Seth said,
May 8, 2020 @ 7:18 pm
Yes. The official government site has the statement as:
"I encourage all businesses that are allowed to open to do so only if they can follow the guidelines to keep West Virginians safe," Gov. Justice said.
https://governor.wv.gov/News/press-releases/2020/Pages/COVID-19-UPDATE-Gov.-Justice-announces-wellness-facilities,-drive-in-theaters-will-be-allowed-to-reopen-next-Monday.aspx
What makes more sense? He decided to drop an F-bomb on TV in an official statement, or he verbally stumbled? (though it would be pretty amusing if he wanted to curse, and this was a plausible-deniability cover he came up with).
Dan Milton said,
May 8, 2020 @ 9:10 pm
Would someone who knows ASL tell us what the interpreter thought? Although she was probably provided with a text beforehand.
Robert Coren said,
May 9, 2020 @ 8:23 am
Well, the text the interpreter was given probably wouldn't have included the f-word even if he did plan to say it.
David Morris said,
May 9, 2020 @ 8:32 am
Follow the guidelines? Yes, yes, that sounds like an excellent idea! (https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=41249)
Bloix said,
May 10, 2020 @ 7:07 pm
I had to watch this three times before I could figure out where he supposedly said fuck. It's not even close – he made an ordinary correction. If they fo – can follow.
Philip Taylor said,
May 11, 2020 @ 2:55 am
For me it is the other way round (perhaps primed by the F-bomb super-title). I heard only "f***ing" until I read Bloix' interpretation as "fo – can follow". Now I can hear both,