Pronunciation watch

[french frank]

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.

OED, 3rd edition, 2013, gives: Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌkarᵻˈbiːən/ , /kəˈrɪbɪən/ U.S. /ˌkɛrəˈbiən/, /kəˈrɪbiən/

[Lat-Literal]

OED, 3rd edition, 2013, gives: Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌkarᵻˈbiːən/ , /kəˈrɪbɪən/ U.S. /ˌkɛrəˈbiən/, /kəˈrɪbiən/

Does that mean Dame Floella Benjamin and I are right?

....oh, actually, she is a Baroness but apart from that error of mine?

[jean]

No, it means you are British.

[Lat-Literal]

No, it means you are British.

But Sophie Raworth is British.

[french frank]

But Sophie Raworth is British.

The OED pronunciations suggest (2013) that both are accepted as 'standard', as they are (with a slight variation in the vowel sounds) in the US. In other words, the stress may be on the second or third syllable. My mother (English) tended to stress the second syllable, while I (English) stress the third, which is now more frequently heard.

[Serial_Apologist]

The OED pronunciations suggest (2013) that both are accepted as 'standard', as they are (with a slight variation in the vowel sounds) in the US. In other words, the stress may be on the second or third syllable. My mother (English) tended to stress the second syllable, while I (English) stress the third, which is now more frequently heard.

I've always placed the stress on the first syllable!

[french frank]

I've always placed the stress on the first syllable!

The OED IPA form gives the first syllable as a secondary stress - ˌkarᵻˈbiːən - the low accent marker precedes the secondary stress, the high accent marker precedes the main stress. So you may be stressing the first syllable, but stressing the third syllable a little bit more? That would be a common pattern with polysyllables.

[jean]

Is it even possible to stress only the first syllable?

You can do it with some polysyllables - including the controversial controversy.

But that one?

[Serial_Apologist]

Is it even possible to stress only the first syllable?

You can do it with some polysyllables - including the controversial controversy.

But that one?

In my case I don't think so. This may be over-compensation, because for a long time I have been reining in on an unfortunate personal tendency to speak over-emphatically, rather like Don Cruikshank, which was brought to my embarrassed attention watching footage of imaginary job interviews during a company workshop, many years ago.

[french frank]

Is it even possible to stress only the first syllable?

You can do it with some polysyllables - including the controversial controversy.

But that one?

Not that one, I'd have thought. Though the Americans manage ˈvɛdərəˌnɛri/ where the British replicate the stress on the initial by virtue of swallowing the second and fourth syllables altogether.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is it even possible to stress only the first syllable?

You can do it with some polysyllables - including the controversial controversy.

But that one?

I suppose that's comparable with "comparable" (upon which I stress the second syllable).

[vinteuil]

I suppose that's comparable with "comparable" (upon which I stress the second syllable).

... would you also stress the 'par' syllable (rather than the 'com' one) in 'incomparable'?


.

[gurnemanz]

OED: "Although the correct pronunciation in standard English is with the stress on the first syllable rather than the second (comparable), an alternative pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable (comparable) is gaining in currency."

I won't know for sure if I ever say the latter version until I notice myself spontaneously doing it. These things are quite infectious. Maybe this usage trend is by analogy with comparison. No one ever says "comprsn".

[Lat-Literal]

The OED pronunciations suggest (2013) that both are accepted as 'standard', as they are (with a slight variation in the vowel sounds) in the US. In other words, the stress may be on the second or third syllable. My mother (English) tended to stress the second syllable, while I (English) stress the third, which is now more frequently heard.

I'm with you.

It is how Caribbean people say it.

[Lat-Literal]

To may-oral - mayoral with a pronounced "may" as in Theresa May - we now have may-or also pronounced as in Theresa May.

That was in the news section of a sports service commenting on Mr Burnham.

And, today, in regard to Mr Pellegrini, Chi-lay-an which might be right but I prefer Chilly-un.