Commonly mispronounced words - Page 18

Urbane Guerrilla · 01-28-2007, 10:19 PM

What truly marks the foreigner speaking English is the vowels. Somebody raised in a language that is mainly pure vowels needs either long experience and an acute ear, or else detailed instruction, to deal with English's diphthongal glides. English has few pure vowels; they are most often either iotized or they are mainly one vowel with a faint tail of another, e.g. the English long "O" finishes up with a tiny "U" at its end, and conversely trying to get English speakers to deliver a pure "O" sound European-style can be quite the struggle -- they don't necessarily hear that U tail-off because we think long O is one sound.

Sundae · 01-29-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkfish

I understand that one way for an American to tell an Australian from a New Zealander is to listen to how they pronounce "been." The Kiwi will rhyme it with "bin."

Of course, natives from those two countries have no trouble telling the accents apart.

To people not familiar with the accents, been is indeed a good one, but any e sound should do it. Ten pens for example is tin pins to a Kiwi.

Once you know an Aussie or a Kiwi (or especially both) you'll be baffled by people who mix them up.

Back to been - London accents shorten been to bin as well. One of my father's Dad-jokes was to say, "Where you bin?" when throwing something away. He still does it occasionally when I'm home (like only giving me half a cup of tea, my age doesn't seem fixed in his head sometimes).

monster · 01-29-2007, 08:11 PM

I've been here 6 years and I can't tell the Americans from the Canadians round here (unless the Canucks rather helpfully add the "eh" at the end). I can spot a Texan or a Californian, but I've got no chance with a Michigandan and our nearest neighbors over the border. Apparently they can tell, though.

But that's OK, 'cause most of them can't tell if I'm Aussie or Brit.

Jordan · 02-10-2007, 10:26 PM

Heh, not so much a mispronounced word as a word that doesn't actually exist, "irregardless". Technically speaking it's a double negative and yet is still often held as a properly recognized word, irregardless of it's connotation.

Cloud · 02-11-2007, 01:55 AM

labret. It's LAY-brt, not la-BRAY.

Clodfobble · 02-11-2007, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

labret. It's LAY-brt, not la-BRAY.

Really?! I had no idea. I've known a lot of pierced people, and never ever heard the correct pronunciation.

monster · 02-11-2007, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

labret. It's LAY-brt, not la-BRAY.

But does it have a nice ass?

DanaC · 02-11-2007, 05:04 PM

I assumed that was just Lab-ret.

Cloud · 02-11-2007, 05:26 PM

lab rat?

monster · 02-11-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC

I assumed that was just Lab-ret.

It would be to you and I, but they say things all peculiar

Cloud · 02-12-2007, 12:41 AM

1)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

English has few pure vowels; they are most often either iotized or they are mainly one vowel with a faint tail of another, e.g. the English long "O" finishes up with a tiny "U" at its end . . .

(mutters) bone, phone, home. Huh. yeah.

Yo hablo espanol. Hmmm . . . cool.

2)Labret from Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: la·bret
Pronunciation: 'lA-br&t
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin labrum
: an ornament worn in a perforation of the lip

Cyclefrance · 02-12-2007, 12:49 AM

If you try to think some more, I'm sure they'll come

Kingswood · 02-12-2007, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonchi

(on mispronouncing "bombs") The National Anthem does not have "the bums bursting in air".

The mental imagery here is hilarious. Where I come from, "bum" means "buttocks". I keep getting this image of a line of people mooning the night sky with bums in the air, then letting rip with a 21-bum salute.

theirontower · 02-13-2007, 01:37 PM

Maybe a little off topic, but as a member of the younger generation and an avid online gamer, acronyms and their usage has gotten stupid.

lol = laughing out loud. No big deal, but then ppl start phoneticaly spelling an acronym as "lawl"!

The sheer stupidity and ignorance of that boggles my mind.

Phoneticaly spelling an acronym...

Urbane Guerrilla · 02-14-2007, 01:00 AM

Laughing, And Writhing Lasciviously, surely.

Cloud, you thought that was fun? Try a look at long I... Iee.

01-28-2007, 10:19 PM	#256
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	What truly marks the foreigner speaking English is the vowels. Somebody raised in a language that is mainly pure vowels needs either long experience and an acute ear, or else detailed instruction, to deal with English's diphthongal glides. English has few pure vowels; they are most often either iotized or they are mainly one vowel with a faint tail of another, e.g. the English long "O" finishes up with a tiny "U" at its end, and conversely trying to get English speakers to deliver a pure "O" sound European-style can be quite the struggle -- they don't necessarily hear that U tail-off because we think long O is one sound. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.

01-29-2007, 08:11 PM	#258
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I've been here 6 years and I can't tell the Americans from the Canadians round here (unless the Canucks rather helpfully add the "eh" at the end). I can spot a Texan or a Californian, but I've got no chance with a Michigandan and our nearest neighbors over the border. Apparently they can tell, though. But that's OK, 'cause most of them can't tell if I'm Aussie or Brit. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

02-10-2007, 10:26 PM	#259
Jordan Sibling of the Commonweal Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 16	Heh, not so much a mispronounced word as a word that doesn't actually exist, "irregardless". Technically speaking it's a double negative and yet is still often held as a properly recognized word, irregardless of it's connotation. __________________ All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.

02-11-2007, 01:55 AM	#260
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	labret. It's LAY-brt, not la-BRAY. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

02-11-2007, 05:26 PM	#264
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	lab rat? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

02-11-2007, 05:04 PM	#263
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I assumed that was just Lab-ret.

02-12-2007, 12:49 AM	#267
Cyclefrance Pump my ride! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England Posts: 1,890	If you try to think some more, I'm sure they'll come __________________ Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears

02-13-2007, 01:37 PM	#269
theirontower Fellow-Commoner Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 10	Maybe a little off topic, but as a member of the younger generation and an avid online gamer, acronyms and their usage has gotten stupid. lol = laughing out loud. No big deal, but then ppl start phoneticaly spelling an acronym as "lawl"! The sheer stupidity and ignorance of that boggles my mind. Phoneticaly spelling an acronym...

02-14-2007, 01:00 AM	#270
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	Laughing, And Writhing Lasciviously, surely. Cloud, you thought that was fun? Try a look at long I... Iee. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course. Last edited by Urbane Guerrilla; 02-14-2007 at 01:21 AM. Reason: more content! more content!

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