Pronunciation watch

[french frank]

Clem-a-tis rather than Cle-may-tis.

Presumably........?

CLEM- it is.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

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

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

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.)

[vinteuil]

... [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'.

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.


.

[Serial_Apologist]

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.

[ahinton]

Clem-a-tis rather than Cle-may-tis.

Presumably........?

You say CLEMatis and I say ClemAYtis...

Different kinds of Clemency, one presumes...

[ahinton]

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...

[Lat-Literal]

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

[vinteuil]

... 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?

.

[Serial_Apologist]

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".

[Serial_Apologist]

... and do you, "for consistency's sake", put the same stress in the words - photograph, photography, photographical?

.

PHOtograph, photOgraphy and photogrAphical, in my case.

[vinteuil]

PHOtograph, photOgraphy and photogrAphical, in my case.

... as with all right-minded folk.


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

[french frank]

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).

[Serial_Apologist]

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.

[Lat-Literal]

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.