The General Chat Thread (2023)

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English is one the most frustrating languages where pronunciation is concerned.
In Kent, for example, there are at least three villages (and probably more) which have absurd pronunciations.
Wrotham. No, it doesn't rhyme with Batman's hideout, it's pronounced ROOT-am.
Lympne. How a village got a name like that, I don't know. it's LIM.
Finally, Trottiscliffe. You'll never get this one. Whoever invented the pronunciation on this one must have been drunk as a skunk. TROS-LEY.
 
On the topic of Indigenous names - the University of Toronto caused a minor fuss a few years ago when they named one of the buildings “Maanjiwe Nendamowinan”! Try saying that five times fast!

My (now estranged) MIL insisted, and probably still does, that the word Cajun is pronounced “ca-hoon”. My husband used to pronounce it like that too, and when I corrected him he very patiently explained to me that in Spanish, the J is pronounced more like an H - I said “yes sweetie, that word isn’t Spanish”!

He looked it up, and lo and behold, I was right. Even after being shown proof, his mom still insisted that it’s “ca-hoon” and literally everyone else is wrong except for her.
 
This is one of my current least favourite words pronunciation wise-

Bannau Brycheiniog

This is the new name for the Brecon Beacons which Wales have just decided to rename. I don't doubt the motivation for the change was good but seriously I think it's a lesson in how to hurt your tourist trade. I now see it referred to as "Bannau Brycheiniog formerly known as the Brecon Beacons"

"Where are you going?" "The placed that used to be called the Brecon Beacons."
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
This is one of my current least favourite words pronunciation wise-

Bannau Brycheiniog

This is the new name for the Brecon Beacons which Wales have just decided to rename. I don't doubt the motivation for the change was good but seriously I think it's a lesson in how to hurt your tourist trade. I now see it referred to as "Bannau Brycheiniog formerly known as the Brecon Beacons"

"Where are you going?" "The placed that used to be called the Brecon Beacons."
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There is another British grammatical difference is odd to me as an American. A singular noun followed by "have" and a verb.

Example, "Ford have introduced a new car." We would say, "Ford has introduced a new car," because Ford is a singular noun. It is the name of a company. Using "have" after Ford would be like saying "William have bought a new car."

Wales is a country. If I were to write "Wales have just declined..." in school, it would be marked as incorrect.

CD
 
rascal said:
And don't get me started on
Worcester or As I Just say worst ever sauce.

Russ
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I say that too, but I say it because I don't like it. You actually use it in your cooking...
 
medtran49 said:
I always heard it pronounced as Kay-ro.

We have Native American names here in Florida too. Topeekeegee Yugnee Park comes to mind first. Most people shorten it to TY Park. I like saying the words so I don't shorten.

Kissimmee is a modern spelling of a tribal word. We used to be silly teens and call it kis-i-me. It's a city pretty close to a really large amusement park in Central Florida that is involved in a legal battle with our governor.

Our state capitol, Tallahassee, is from an old Native American phrase.

There's lots of others, but not going to list them.
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I used to live in Tallahassee (college). I had a friend from Cairo, Georgia and she pronounced it like you do.

I also used to ski and do other watersports on Choctawhatchee Bay when I was living in Destin.

Lots of Native American names in FL.
 
caseydog said:
Example, "Ford have introduced a new car."
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Agree. Whoever wrote that must have been thinking that "Ford" was plural - but then it should have been "Fords"!
My pet hate is people who say:
"If I would have realized that..." :hyper: :hyper: :hyper:

It's a conditional sentence. "If I HAD realized that, I WOULD HAVE..."
(Shut up, English teacher. Too many GMAT students.):D:D:D
 
caseydog said:
Example, "Ford have introduced a new car." We would say, "Ford has introduced a new car," because Ford is a singular noun.
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My “How to Speak Proper English, Guv” book (ok, it’s not titled that) explains that has just a difference in what each culture sees as a collective noun.

American English treats something like Ford as a single entity, so we say “Ford has…,” but British English treats it like it’s made up of many people, so they say, “Ford have…,” like there’s an implied “(The managers at) Ford have…” - But, of course, it’s not always consistent.

There’s a whole chapter on why Americans go “to school,” but “to the hospital,” while our British friends are more likely to go “to hospital,” and “to the school.” :wink:
 
TastyReuben said:
My “How to Speak Proper English, Guv” book (ok, it’s not titled that) explains that has just a difference in what each culture sees as a collective noun.

American English treats something like Ford as a single entity, so we say “Ford has…,” but British English treats it like it’s made up of many people, so they say, “Ford have…,” like there’s an implied “(The managers at) Ford have…” - But, of course, it’s not always consistent.

There’s a whole chapter on why Americans go “to school,” but “to the hospital,” while our British friends are more likely to go “to hospital,” and “to the school.” :wink:
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Not to mention "Math" vs "Maths." :laugh:

CD
 
Not to mention "Math" vs "Maths.
I don't get that one. The OED states that "Mathematics" is a plural noun which is also treated as a singular. Maths is simply a shortened version. Just one of those things, I imagine, same as "enjoy!" instead of "enjoy IT" :D :D
 
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