Pronunciation watch

[LeMartinPecheur]

I’m surprised in modern film parlance it isn’t biomovie anyway. I cannot think of chicklit as being anything other than shredded paper used for bedding for hens!

Wouldn't a biomovie have to be about something nasty escaping from a secret government laboratory?

[cloughie]

Wouldn't a biomovie have to be about something nasty escaping from a secret government laboratory?

On a par with triffids perhaps!

[Pabmusic]

Have we had biopic, rhyming with myopic, as on Breakfast the other day? Surely it's just a biographical picture (film), so stress on first syllable?

Or am I being short-sighted?

Perfectly correct. Stress on the second syllable would suggest it's something slightly unpleasant, having to do with biopsies.

[kernelbogey]

Weather presenters seem to pronounce mild as mahld rather than meyeld. Rather odd, slightly patrician, pronunciation.

[french frank]

Weather presenters seem to pronounce mild as mahld rather than meyeld. Rather odd, slightly patrician, pronunciation.

Possibly the slightly patrician 'laziness' in articulation: mild would normally have a clearly diphthongised vowel (as you transcribe).

[Serial_Apologist]

Possibly the slightly patrician 'laziness' in articulation: mild would normally have a clearly diphthongised vowel (as you transcribe).

Which reminds me of the title to one of the late Kenny Wheeler's compositions, which he titled "Miold Man", in an attempt to convey his father's temperament, in a musical tribute to him.

[french frank]

Which reminds me of the title to one of the late Kenny Wheeler's compositions, which he titled "Miold Man", in an attempt to convey his father's temperament, in a musical tribute to him.

A dustman, was he?

[oddoneout]

Have we had biopic, rhyming with myopic, as on Breakfast the other day? Surely it's just a biographical picture (film), so stress on first syllable?

Or am I being short-sighted?

I noticed in the weekend supplement of the local rag they had it as bio-pic. It was probably a mistake on their part - attention to detail with regard to the text is rapidly departing - but it does make both the meaning and pronunciation clear.

[Serial_Apologist]

A dustman, was he?

No - a Canadian.

[Pabmusic]

Possibly the slightly patrician 'laziness' in articulation: mild would normally have a clearly diphthongised vowel (as you transcribe).

Would it? I've always said something like mahld (though I think with the mouth slightly more open..

At least it's not as bad as many (most?) Americans, who say meeya for mirror.

[kernelbogey]

At least it's not as bad as many (most?) Americans, who say meeya for mirror.

One would have to assume that they are not familiar with a looking-glass.

[french frank]

Possibly the slightly patrician 'laziness' in articulation: mild would normally have a clearly diphthongised vowel (as you transcribe).

Would it? I've always said something like mahld (though I think with the mouth slightly more open.

That's how I would read the OED's transcription of British (I presume RP) English: mʌɪld, and it's certainly what I hear. Though I wasn't suggesting your pronunciation might be 'patrician laziness' .

But many long vowels in RP English are lightly diphthongised (eg came cay'eem, bold bōw'oold), aren't they? Great Vowel Shift?

[cloughie]

Would it? I've always said something like mahld (though I think with the mouth slightly more open..

At least it's not as bad as many (most?) Americans, who say meeya for mirror.

Yes but they also call a zed a zee!

[kernelbogey]

Would it? I've always said something like mahld (though I think with the mouth slightly more open.

Of course, its absence from pubs these days has played a role in its pronunciation .

[LeMartinPecheur]

Weather presenters seem to pronounce mild as mahld rather than meyeld. Rather odd, slightly patrician, pronunciation.

Next Christmas I shall listen out for "Peace on earth and mercy mahld/ God and sinners reconcahld"