Pronunciation watch

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  • french frank
    Administrator/Moderator
    • Feb 2007
    • 30243

    Originally posted by Lat-Literal View Post
    Clem-a-tis rather than Cle-may-tis.

    Presumably........?
    CLEM- it is.
    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

    Comment

    • ferneyhoughgeliebte
      Gone fishin'
      • Sep 2011
      • 30163

      Originally posted by Lat-Literal View Post
      Clem-a-tis rather than Cle-may-tis.
      Presumably........?
      I pronounce it with the accent on the first syllable, and a short, "Northern" (ie "proper") "a". I've heard it with an accent on the second syllable, with an "ah" sound - the same sort of pronunciation as "tomato". I can't recollect ever hearing "cle-may-tis" (closer to "potato"?) but I might have done without following what was being referred to
      [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
        Gone fishin'
        • Sep 2011
        • 30163

        Speaking of things horticultural - "Peonies"

        I've always pronounced it "pay-onies". I've heard it pronounced closer to "pianos", or something ... well ... err ... else. (Such that "Come into the garden and look at my tall, pink peonies" might result in criminal proceedings.)
        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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        • vinteuil
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 12788

          Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
          ... [clematis] - I pronounce it with the accent on the first syllable, and a short, "Northern" (ie "proper") "a".
          ... happy to concur. Tho' I suspect I wd use a schwa rather than yer northern 'a'.

          Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
          Speaking of things horticultural - "Peonies"

          I've always pronounced it "pay-onies". I've heard it pronounced closer to "pianos", or something ... well ... err ... else.
          Surely pee not pay ?

          ... 'pee - a - knees. With the 'a' being a schwa.


          .

          Comment

          • Serial_Apologist
            Full Member
            • Dec 2010
            • 37591

            Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
            Speaking of things horticultural - "Peonies"

            I've always pronounced it "pay-onies". I've heard it pronounced closer to "pianos", or something ... well ... err ... else. (Such that "Come into the garden and look at my tall, pink peonies" might result in criminal proceedings.)
            I see that certain people decribed as "white right-wing middle-class" are now being dubbed as "gammon" is certain quarters. This in turn is being seen in the quarters so described as "racist". If I were called "gammon" purely on description, I would be highly amused, rather than insulted.

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            • ahinton
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 16122

              Originally posted by Lat-Literal View Post
              Clem-a-tis rather than Cle-may-tis.

              Presumably........?
              You say CLEMatis and I say ClemAYtis...

              Different kinds of Clemency, one presumes...

              Comment

              • ahinton
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 16122

                Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                Speaking of things horticultural - "Peonies"

                I've always pronounced it "pay-onies". I've heard it pronounced closer to "pianos", or something ... well ... err ... else. (Such that "Come into the garden and look at my tall, pink peonies" might result in criminal proceedings.)
                I've always wondered about that in respect of pianos; everyone probably pronounces them more or less the same way but whereas a lot of people pronounce players of them "pee - anists" I've always prononced them as "pyANists", if only for consistency's sake...

                Comment

                • Lat-Literal
                  Guest
                  • Aug 2015
                  • 6983

                  The quainter variations in each case no doubt allude to Victorian sensibilities, being as they are not ever so removed from the seaside postcard.

                  Comment

                  • vinteuil
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 12788

                    Originally posted by ahinton View Post
                    ... whereas a lot of people pronounces players of them "pee - anists" I've always prononced them as "pyANists", if only for consistency's sake...
                    ... and do you, "for consistency's sake", put the same stress in the words - photograph, photography, photographical?

                    .

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                    • Serial_Apologist
                      Full Member
                      • Dec 2010
                      • 37591

                      Originally posted by ahinton View Post
                      I've always wondered about that in respect of pianos; everyone probably pronounces them more or less the same way but whereas a lot of people pronounces players of them "pee - anists" I've always prononced them as "pyANists", if only for consistency's sake...
                      I used to hear PeANists when I lived in Bristol. Bristolians seemed sometimes to emphasise a different syllable to the one I'd been led to believe to be right: eg "theAtre" rather than "thEatre".

                      Comment

                      • Serial_Apologist
                        Full Member
                        • Dec 2010
                        • 37591

                        Originally posted by vinteuil View Post
                        ... and do you, "for consistency's sake", put the same stress in the words - photograph, photography, photographical?

                        .
                        PHOtograph, photOgraphy and photogrAphical, in my case.

                        Comment

                        • vinteuil
                          Full Member
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 12788

                          Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                          PHOtograph, photOgraphy and photogrAphical, in my case.
                          ... as with all right-minded folk.


                          I was querying ahinton's odd insistence on 'consistency' in pronunciation...

                          Comment

                          • french frank
                            Administrator/Moderator
                            • Feb 2007
                            • 30243

                            Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                            Bristolians seemed sometimes to emphasise a different syllable to the one I'd been led to believe to be right: eg "theAtre" rather than "thEatre".
                            Fighting words, sir! I don't think this is particular to Bristolians, though people living in Bristol may use non standard pronunciations. I was under the impression that piANist was rather Upper Clarss. I say PEE-uhnist. And PEE-uhnee.

                            For plant names I consult Plant Names Simplified: their pronunciation, derivation & meaning, by AT Johnson and HA Smith. Clematis derives from Greek κλεμα, a vine branch; so obviously pronunciation will be CLEM-a-tis. Similarly Peony or Paeony is derived from the name Paeon, an ancient Greek physician who used it as a healing plant (it says here).
                            It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                            Comment

                            • Serial_Apologist
                              Full Member
                              • Dec 2010
                              • 37591

                              Originally posted by french frank View Post
                              Fighting words, sir! I don't think this is particular to Bristolians, though people living in Bristol may use non standard pronunciations.
                              I have a great affection for Bristol, having lived there for 25 years: Bristolians were the first people that I found to have a pride in their speech patterns that allowed them to be humorous about it, rather than accusing outsiders like me of wanting to belittle them for "speaking different". Now, everybody is doing it, and how one speaks has become an issue of local pride and identity, emphasising class in the best possible sense. I remember us Londoners in various workplaces being described locally as "cockney Joes", with no malice intended.

                              Comment

                              • Lat-Literal
                                Guest
                                • Aug 2015
                                • 6983

                                During the conversation between Sophie Raworth and Dame Floella Benjamin at the Chelsea Flower Show, the former persisted with "Ca-ribb-ean" while the latter said "Ca-rib-be-an".

                                I found this disappointing.
                                Last edited by Lat-Literal; 22-05-18, 09:19. Reason: Oh yes - pronunciation watch

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