Pronunciation watch

[Uncle Monty]

Has anyone mentioned "nucular"?

I'm not normally a violent person, but every time I hear that I feel the red mist descending, and the labradors know it's time to leave the room. . . :cool2:

[marthe]

Has anyone mentioned "nucular"?

I'm not normally a violent person, but every time I hear that I feel the red mist descending, and the labradors know it's time to leave the room. . . :cool2:

Visions of GWB anyone? No "nucular" is not standard American pronunciation either. Maybe in Texas...

[Bryn]

Courtessy of pw, over at r3ok.com:

[french frank]

[Bryn]

Not quite the right thread to post this on, but is anyone here familiar with Messiaen's Catalogue Doiseaux?

[DracoM]

Listen to Daniel Corbett's bewilderingly unsyntactical R4 weather forecasts, plus Englun, Scotlan, NorernIrelan. Not a D in sight / sound.

[Don Petter]

Listen to Daniel Corbett's bewilderingly unsyntactical R4 weather forecasts, plus Englun, Scotlan, NorernIrelan. Not a D in sight / sound.

I'm not familiar with Corbett, but most TV weather forecasters seem to have a very strange method of delivery, alternating between

being...abnormally...slow...in...saying...phrases. ..and...then
suddenlyspeedingrightupasiftheyareimitatingPatrick Mooreinoverdrive.

I have never worked out why this should be?

[salymap]

I think it's because they literally get so many seconds to do the forecast. The see the time slipping away and rush to complete their script.

[Don Petter]

I think it's because they literally get so many seconds to do the forecast. The see the time slipping away and rush to complete their script.

I don't think that can be the cause. As I said, they alternate the two styles throughout their allotted time. It doesn't just happen at the end.

[mangerton]

I've just been listening to the R4 6 pm news, and I was pleased to hear my old chum "vunrable" put in an appearance. The same report, from Manchester, featured a woman who said that if a swimming pool closed, someone would "go under".

Sounds a bit unlikely to me.

[mikerotheatrenestr0y]

... and yet it is these swallowings and gabblings that have given us the English language - after all, it took a fair amount of elision and attrition to reduce the seven syllables of "eleemosynary" to the single syllable of "alms"...

Did the French help us, via "aumones" and was an almoner another evolutionary stage?

[mikerotheatrenestr0y]

Question: agAYN or agEN? And, if it's a rhyme word, shouldn't you pronounce it to rhyme, whichever way is appropriate? There are many readers, actors and singers who fail to do so.

As for op'ra - well, I would be sad to lose this - wouldn't you?

Personally, I feel there is a difference between comparing to and comparing with - and even Shakespeare knew that! I also think there is a difference between having sympathy for someone and having sympathy with them, just as there is a [frequently ignored] difference between having a fascination with something and something having a fascination for you... I feel Fowler's toleration of certain solecisms in the name of anti-pedantry opened the door to some dangerous sloppiness, e.g. the disinterested/uninterested muddle. But then I'm a linguist by trade and inclination.

[Bryn]

I've nothing agin agen.

[Ferretfancy]

Every studio should display two large notices - 1.There is no such thing as a kilOMMetre!
2. Specimens are not DYsected!

[marthe]

I've nothing agin agen.

"Agen" is Standard American pronunciation; "again" sounds affected to my ears unless used by someone from the green and pleasant land. I realize that American pronunciation, as well as spelling and vocabulary, is considered somewhat debased over on the other side.