Commonly mispronounced words - Page 17

lumberjim · 01-25-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl & Flint

The Duchess of Dirtbutton always fists Flint's Awful Orifice

i know........ i deserve Flint

Trilby · 01-25-2007, 03:29 PM

How do you pronounce 'lawyer'? I always say 'liar' just for funsies.

Language is not static but constantly evolving. Except for Ebonics. That's just crap. (and I know how you feel about it, grant)

lumberjim · 01-25-2007, 03:39 PM

listen to the words at the very end.

SINEAD O'CONNOR TROY LYRICS

(Sinaed O'Connor)

I'll remember it
And Dublin in a rainstorm
And sitting in the long grass in summer
Keeping warm
I'll remember it
Every restless night
We were so young then
We thought that everything
We could possibly do was right
Then we moved
Stolen from our very eyes
And I wondered where you went to
Tell me when did the light die
You will rise
You'll return
The phoenix from the flame
You will learn
You will rise
You'll return
Being what you are
There is no other Troy
For you to burn

And I never meant to hurt you
I swear I didn't mean
Those things I said
I never meant to do that to you
Next time I'll keep my hands to myself instead
Oh, does she love you
What do you want to do?
Does she need you like I do?
Do you love her?
Is she good for you?
Does she hold you like I do?

Do you want me?
Should I leave?
I know you're always telling me
That you love me
Just sometimes I wonder
If I should believe
Oh, I love you
God, I love you
I'd kill a dragon for you
I'll die
But I will rise
And I will return
The Phoenix from the flame
I have learned
I will rise
And you'll see me return
Being what I am
There is no other Troy
For me to burn

And you should've left the light on
You should've left the light on
Then I wouldn't have tried
And you'd never have known
And I wouldn't have pulled you tighter
No I wouldn't have pulled you close
I wouldn't have screamed
No I can't let you go
And the door wasn't closed
No I wouldn't have pulled you to me
No I wouldn't have kissed your face
You wouldn't have begged me to hold you
If we hadn't been there in the first place
Ah but I know you wanted me to be there oh oh
Every look that you threw told me so
But you should've left the light on
You should've left the light on
And the flames burned away
But you're still spitting fire
Make no difference what you say
You're still a liar
You're still a liar
You're still a lawyer

(yes it's really LAWYER, according to the official books !!)

Urbane Guerrilla · 01-26-2007, 12:31 AM

Quote:

The Duchess of Dirtbutton always fists Flint's Awful Orifice

Oo, kinky desu ka?

Deuce · 01-26-2007, 12:54 PM

An oral exam today. Please speak out loud the following two sentences.

"I have been many places."

"I have seen many places."

I believe UK speakers will hear only one difference, the consonant, while US speakers will hear two differences, the consonant and the "ee" of each verb. So who is mispronouncing "been"?

Shawnee123 · 01-26-2007, 01:45 PM

Good point! When I was young and working in the local farm market, a woman from India, speaking broken English, asked my friend "Where have you bean?" My friend was like "uh, well, er, I've been right here, I guess." She finally figured out to point her towards the beans.

She assumed that the woman's accent was why she pronounced how we say been as bean, but couldn't for the world figure out why the lady cared where she had been.

Perry Winkle · 01-26-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce

An oral exam today. Please speak out loud the following two sentences.

"I have been many places."

"I have seen many places."

I believe UK speakers will hear only one difference, the consonant, while US speakers will hear two differences, the consonant and the "ee" of each verb. So who is mispronouncing "been"?

Also, for most U.S. speakers, I think, "been" has a short vowel and "seen" has a long vowel.

Pangloss62 · 01-26-2007, 02:39 PM

As I was driving through Alabama last week, there was a funny commercial for an artist who, as the voice talent declared, painted beautiful "murials" for churches and sanctuaries. That's right, mur-i-als. Now, I would forgive that usage if it were just a random rural Southerner speaking informally, but this was a woman reading ad copy that had to go through at least some review before it was broadcast. In the ad, a women asserted several times how beautiful were the artist's "murials" and how the same "murials" would make any room look bigger and how the "murials" could depict famous events from the bible etc. I could not help thinking of the artist struggling to paint those small cigars of the same pronunciation. "Wow! That cigar is so beautiful it would be a shame to smoke it. How long have you been painting those Muriels?"

monster · 01-26-2007, 08:13 PM

Better than ugly muriels, though

Mixie · 01-27-2007, 08:59 AM

Lol, sure you guys can come visit. But do remember to let me know beforehand, mkay? Then I can make sure to stock up on the stroopwafels and drop. :p

And I honestly had been wondering what on earth that second difference could have been in that 'oral exam' until I read Grant's post. Gah, now I feel silly.

DanaC · 01-27-2007, 12:26 PM

In the North of England, most people say 'bin' for been. "I've bin to the shops" but....not the whole of the North of England, cause some parts pronounce it "been/bean" but slightly shorter than 'a bean'. Some areas of England, the pronunciation veers towards "ben". Most people I know code-switch between 'bin' and 'been', depending on if they're being professional or 'posh', or trying to sound convincing, or on their best behaviour at a Job interview etc etc.

Also it depends on where the emphasis is in a sentence. If you are emphasising the 'been' rather than 'to the shop', then some people would extend that from 'bin' to 'been'.......or not....lot of dialectic variance, though the distinctions are starting to fade

DanaC · 01-27-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

That's right, mur-i-als.

That word gets a lot of people. It's a little like a tongue twister, contained within a single word.

milkfish · 01-27-2007, 05:50 PM

I understand that one way for an American to tell an Australian from a New Zealander is to listen to how they pronounce "been." The Kiwi will rhyme it with "bin."

Of course, natives from those two countries have no trouble telling the accents apart.

Trilby · 01-27-2007, 08:20 PM

To any foreigner, English is exceedingly difficult. Even the angels speak it with an accent.
- Mark Twain

Mixie · 01-28-2007, 04:07 AM

To be honest, English isn't that difficult at all. Unlike, say, German. *flinches*

However, I must say that part of the difficulty is taken away by the large input we have. Music, television, loan words - there's a lot of English words and sentences we hear every day, so you slowly become accustomed to it.

01-25-2007, 03:29 PM	#242
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	How do you pronounce 'lawyer'? I always say 'liar' just for funsies. Language is not static but constantly evolving. Except for Ebonics. That's just crap. (and I know how you feel about it, grant) __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

01-25-2007, 03:39 PM	#243
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	listen to the words at the very end. SINEAD O'CONNOR TROY LYRICS (Sinaed O'Connor) I'll remember it And Dublin in a rainstorm And sitting in the long grass in summer Keeping warm I'll remember it Every restless night We were so young then We thought that everything We could possibly do was right Then we moved Stolen from our very eyes And I wondered where you went to Tell me when did the light die You will rise You'll return The phoenix from the flame You will learn You will rise You'll return Being what you are There is no other Troy For you to burn And I never meant to hurt you I swear I didn't mean Those things I said I never meant to do that to you Next time I'll keep my hands to myself instead Oh, does she love you What do you want to do? Does she need you like I do? Do you love her? Is she good for you? Does she hold you like I do? Do you want me? Should I leave? I know you're always telling me That you love me Just sometimes I wonder If I should believe Oh, I love you God, I love you I'd kill a dragon for you I'll die But I will rise And I will return The Phoenix from the flame I have learned I will rise And you'll see me return Being what I am There is no other Troy For me to burn And you should've left the light on You should've left the light on Then I wouldn't have tried And you'd never have known And I wouldn't have pulled you tighter No I wouldn't have pulled you close I wouldn't have screamed No I can't let you go And the door wasn't closed No I wouldn't have pulled you to me No I wouldn't have kissed your face You wouldn't have begged me to hold you If we hadn't been there in the first place Ah but I know you wanted me to be there oh oh Every look that you threw told me so But you should've left the light on You should've left the light on And the flames burned away But you're still spitting fire Make no difference what you say You're still a liar You're still a liar You're still a lawyer (yes it's really LAWYER, according to the official books !!) __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-26-2007, 01:45 PM	#246
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Good point! When I was young and working in the local farm market, a woman from India, speaking broken English, asked my friend "Where have you bean?" My friend was like "uh, well, er, I've been right here, I guess." She finally figured out to point her towards the beans. She assumed that the woman's accent was why she pronounced how we say been as bean, but couldn't for the world figure out why the lady cared where she had been. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

01-26-2007, 02:39 PM	#248
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	Purty Murials As I was driving through Alabama last week, there was a funny commercial for an artist who, as the voice talent declared, painted beautiful "murials" for churches and sanctuaries. That's right, mur-i-als. Now, I would forgive that usage if it were just a random rural Southerner speaking informally, but this was a woman reading ad copy that had to go through at least some review before it was broadcast. In the ad, a women asserted several times how beautiful were the artist's "murials" and how the same "murials" would make any room look bigger and how the "murials" could depict famous events from the bible etc. I could not help thinking of the artist struggling to paint those small cigars of the same pronunciation. "Wow! That cigar is so beautiful it would be a shame to smoke it. How long have you been painting those Muriels?" __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

01-26-2007, 08:13 PM	#249
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Better than ugly muriels, though __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

01-26-2007, 12:54 PM	#245
Deuce Pesky Pugalist [sp] Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 191	An oral exam today. Please speak out loud the following two sentences. "I have been many places." "I have seen many places." I believe UK speakers will hear only one difference, the consonant, while US speakers will hear two differences, the consonant and the "ee" of each verb. So who is mispronouncing "been"?

01-27-2007, 08:59 AM	#250
Mixie Nitpicker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Groningen, Netherlands Posts: 25	Lol, sure you guys can come visit. But do remember to let me know beforehand, mkay? Then I can make sure to stock up on the stroopwafels and drop. :p And I honestly had been wondering what on earth that second difference could have been in that 'oral exam' until I read Grant's post. Gah, now I feel silly. __________________ I'm about as subtle as a flying brick.

01-27-2007, 12:26 PM	#251
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	In the North of England, most people say 'bin' for been. "I've bin to the shops" but....not the whole of the North of England, cause some parts pronounce it "been/bean" but slightly shorter than 'a bean'. Some areas of England, the pronunciation veers towards "ben". Most people I know code-switch between 'bin' and 'been', depending on if they're being professional or 'posh', or trying to sound convincing, or on their best behaviour at a Job interview etc etc. Also it depends on where the emphasis is in a sentence. If you are emphasising the 'been' rather than 'to the shop', then some people would extend that from 'bin' to 'been'.......or not....lot of dialectic variance, though the distinctions are starting to fade

01-27-2007, 05:50 PM	#253
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	I understand that one way for an American to tell an Australian from a New Zealander is to listen to how they pronounce "been." The Kiwi will rhyme it with "bin." Of course, natives from those two countries have no trouble telling the accents apart. __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams Last edited by milkfish; 01-27-2007 at 05:51 PM. Reason: How did that word "not" get in there?

01-27-2007, 08:20 PM	#254
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	To any foreigner, English is exceedingly difficult. Even the angels speak it with an accent. - Mark Twain __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

01-28-2007, 04:07 AM	#255
Mixie Nitpicker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Groningen, Netherlands Posts: 25	To be honest, English isn't that difficult at all. Unlike, say, German. flinches However, I must say that part of the difficulty is taken away by the large input we have. Music, television, loan words - there's a lot of English words and sentences we hear every day, so you slowly become accustomed to it. __________________ I'm about as subtle as a flying brick.

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