Words that sound really strange spoken by Americans

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1) Pub

2) Wanker

― Wooden (Wooden), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

3) Saskatchewan

― Huck, Friday, 13 August 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

4. aluminium

― zappi (joni), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know any Americans that use the word "pub."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I always felt weird saying "tuna" and "tube" while I was in London

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha, tuna tube. Gross.

― na (Nick A.), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.biggameeurope.com/Images/Temp_Tuna-Tube.jpg

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

7. worcestershire

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

wepenzamassdestrucshun

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

no taxation without representation

http://www.subpop.com/bands/various/various-172.gif

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Gormless.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/usa/dc/license-plate-taxation-without-representation-small.jpg

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 13 August 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "pub". I wouldn't if there weren't, you know, places here called "pub"s.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 13 August 2004 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe "tuna tube" is a real thing; apart from slang for sweet sweet poontang.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 13 August 2004 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe this thread has got this far without a mention of 'herb'.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 13 August 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the British pronunciation of aluminium.

― Dale the Panopticalist (cprek), Friday, 13 August 2004 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

paul revere

― kephm, Friday, 13 August 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The signers of the Declaration represented the new states as follows:
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

You mean "a-lu-min-ee-um"?

I say pub too, when I have to say things like, "Let's go to the Old Town Pub," or even, "Let's go to the Irish Pub."

(um, x-post)

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

In the category (as originally indended, I think) of words taht Americans don't say funny as such, but which just sound weird for them to say at all:

'lovely'
'twat'

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Leicster

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I can not spell today. I think I will scrap doing a PHd.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

we don't sound half as silly as you lot do when you say boogie.

ps - alba! there is something interesting in your inbox.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

tut tut

what words are bizarre and/or hilarious when spoken in an american accent?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Lauren, you are wrong. There is a ruler and an IT security policy statement in my inbox.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

(I concede that we ought not be saying 'boogie'. Less still 'boogie woogie'. I'm not even sure we should be saying 'rock', unless we are from the Midlands.)

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

When some Americans say "mirror" it seems to come out as "meeeeeeeerrrrrroooooooor".

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Worse is when it comes out "meer," which is very common.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

i couldn't get the thing that i sent to your inbox to work on my computer because it's k-ancient. i want to know what it's like!

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah I don't get that "mirror" thing, what's the problem with it? To many Rs?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "lovely" all the time! Usually with sarcasm!

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

"Mirror."

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/graphics/bush_wgirls1.jpg

― George W. Bush, Friday, 13 August 2004 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "lovely" all the time but with a fake British accent.

― na (Nick A.), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

When some Americans say "mirror" it seems to come out as "meeeeeeeerrrrrroooooooor".

no, that is Nico and she was Hungarian.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I say lovely sarcastically as well. We Americans are a harsh lot.

x-post GOD DAMNIT I WILL NEVER HAVE AN ERECTION AGAIN

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

WTF these are all words that sound strange spoken by Brits, just like every other word.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha I played Dizzee Rascal for my friend yesterday and he said "does he do any songs in English"?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

8. "I really love France and the French"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

9. "Canada's great isn't it? I'm proud to call those people my neighbours"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

10. "Please"/"Thank you"

― na (Nick A.), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't Americans say "Thank you" a lot? I always thought they did.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 13 August 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Along the lines of "meer," I've noticed some of my fellow Americans pronouncing sale, bail, nail, etc. as sell, bell, and nell. Why, why, why?

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 13 August 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"wow this food tastes really good!"

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

4. aluminium

you know that there's only one "i" in the American patent for this, right?

― oops (Oops), Friday, 13 August 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "lovely" all the time but with a fake British accent.
-- na (nu...), August 13th, 2004.

Me too. I think when I do it I'm trying to sound like Bob Odenkirk as the Oasis-inspired character from Mr. Show. I forget what the name of the band is. Flump. or Clump. Or something.

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Friday, 13 August 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh ha ha I think that's where I got it too. SMOOSH.

"...just like your mummy told you."

― na (Nick A.), Friday, 13 August 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah because of SMOOSH I think I also say "Dunno" in an English accent.

Um anyway more words that sound funny said by americans!

"Mobile" to thread.

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey Alba, yr mom has a "lovely" "twat."

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Also: Americans own “herb.” The Upper West Side of Manhattan owns “herb.” There is a phone booth by my house that says “Stephanie D’ambrio is a hooker herb,” and no Englishman can ever beat that.

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG! I'm not sure why, but I thought this whole time that Mandee was English! I R STOO PID.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:12 (twenty-one years ago)

It was probably that extra "e" on the end of her name that made you think that. Like "Merry Olde England" or something.

― na (Nick A.), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I bet there aren't many Mandees in Britain.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

you know that there's only one "i" in the American patent for this, right?

"The official change in the US to the –um spelling happened quite late: the American Chemical Society only adopted it in 1925. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially standardised on aluminium in 1990, though this has done nothing, of course, to change the way people in the US spell it for day to day purposes."
http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm

you say tomato, everyone else says tomato

― zappi (joni), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

in our dictionaries it is -um. yes we know everyone goes with -ium, but we've been saying it our way for so long that we're not going to change because everyone else is doing it another way. see also: metric system

― oops (Oops), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:42 (twenty-one years ago)

12. DENTIST

― dean? (deangulberry), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Nickalicious, you so crazy! 'Mandee' is such an american hick name - I may as well join 4-H or do barrel racing or somethin'!

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

How do YOU say dentist?!

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

When some Americans say "mirror" it seems to come out as "meeeeeeeerrrrrroooooooor".

Which makes it sound closer to the original French. Same with the un-aspirated 'h' in herb. I say 'lovely' all the time though I do tend to say it in an ersatz Yorkshire accent.

Just for the record, I say 'aluminumium' as a kind of transatlantic compromise. Lovely, innit?

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I had a cat named Mandee, I think she might have spelled it with a "y" though.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

My pet theory about the spelling of "neighbour," "flavour," etc.: Because it's not about you, it's about me.

― Guymauve (Guymauve), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Jordan, your cat could spell?

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Your cat can't?

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

That's an e not an i, Jordan.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

My cats can cast spells but their orthography is highly unorthodox.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)

What is, oops?

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

How do YOU say dentist?!

The British DON'T OMG HAHA ROOFFLE!

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"skwirl"

I had to ask to speak to an American girl called Autumn today, and when I said it she repeated the word distastefully, like I'd just done a poo on her moniker.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 13 August 2004 20:57 (twenty-one years ago)

"googly"

― Mr. Tony Plow (Leee), Friday, 13 August 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark.. WHAT? "Autumn" in an English accent is one of the most greatest sounds EVAH.

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Friday, 13 August 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't say "Ahd'm", which I guess is what she really considers her name to be :/

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 13 August 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

please

― Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Friday, 13 August 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Fuckwit
Smartarse
Democracy

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 13 August 2004 22:11 (twenty-one years ago)

human

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 13 August 2004 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Almost any foreign word, for some Mairkins.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 13 August 2004 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Aberrant pronunciation:
route
niche

Just doesn't work:
twit
twaddle

― Greg Selby, Friday, 13 August 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Cunt.

It's best spoken in a cockney accent, as in 'Cun-tah'.

― Wooden (Wooden), Friday, 13 August 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"Pattern" (American's think we Brits are talking about General Patton or something).
"Squirrel", yes!
"Missile" (= "missle")

I've lived in North America long enough now for the British pronunciations to sound funny (like "contr-OH-versy", "tofu" and "yogurt").

― David A. (Davant), Saturday, 14 August 2004 00:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "lovely" all the time but with a fake British accent.
-- na (nu...), August 13th, 2004.

Me too. I think when I do it I'm trying to sound like Bob Odenkirk as the Oasis-inspired character from Mr. Show. I forget what the name of the band is. Flump. or Clump. Or something.

-- Homosexual II (mandeewrigh...), August 13th, 2004.

The answer is "Smush". Creamy.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 14 August 2004 00:09 (twenty-one years ago)

"retard"\"retarded" - not that they say it differently from anyone else, just that they use it at all. I flinch whenever I hear a US charity speak about "retarded children" etc. It's just a culture thing, but it does sound really strange...

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Saturday, 14 August 2004 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I could never say "in hospital", but strangely, I can say "in hospice" without any second thoughts.

I think we, in the US that is, use "retard/ed" a little more carefully these days, unless we're speaking about our commander in chief, of course.

― jim wentworth (wench), Saturday, 14 August 2004 00:47 (twenty-one years ago)

The impression I have is that Americans use the word far more than we do, certainly as an insult.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 14 August 2004 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

OTM

― jim wentworth (wench), Saturday, 14 August 2004 01:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Anything French. Ask an American* to say Notre Dame, and you'll get something completely retarded that isn't Notre Dame at all.

* generalisation obv

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 14 August 2004 01:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Boo ghee

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

"Clooged"

― Rockist_Scientist (rockist_scientist), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Den tist

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 14 August 2004 15:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I love hearing American's refer to a toilet (bathroom) as a 'loo'.

― Craig Gilchrist, Saturday, 14 August 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Thinking about it, 'toilet' is good too.

― Craig Gilchrist, Saturday, 14 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

When I travel abroad I am going to communicate via flashcards.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Saturday, 14 August 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

And deny those foreigners the opportunity to learn English? Really, Nicole, that's not very nice.

― Michael White (Hereward), Saturday, 14 August 2004 19:51 (twenty-one years ago)

my friend's nephew made me say strawberry over and over again the first time he met me, until i turned him upside down and held there by the ankles. that's the lauren method of dealing with sassy foreigners (if they're 3, anyway).

― lauren (laurenp), Saturday, 14 August 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I believe that the modern loo/toilet should be named for the man who is frequently given credit for its advent: Thomas Crapper.

― jim wentworth (wench), Sunday, 15 August 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay, how do Americans say boogie? All I ever see on here is you lot laughing manically at the Brit way of saying it, but I can't think of any other way. Boo-ghee.

― Anna (Anna), Sunday, 15 August 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I assumed it was just the concept of an English-accented 'boogie' rather than any particular prononciation issue.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

they say it with a less of a pause between the syllables

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Sunday, 15 August 2004 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

We don't pause between the oo and the gie! Or do you just mean we stretch the 'oo' out too long?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 11:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, yes, I think I remember now. They do have a shorter 'oo', like a southern 'book' to a northern one.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 11:01 (twenty-one years ago)

there is a lengthy and somewhat strange and acrimonious digression about this on the spring crushes thread.

― lauren (laurenp), Sunday, 15 August 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Hoegaarden: as there's a garden filled with hos somewhere in Belgium.

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

If I were ever to be in Belgium I would say 'Who-harten' or whatever, but if one pulls that trick in a British pub one can expect to receives wtf? looks from the bar staff.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Beau-ghie

Anyway, the word boogie just makes me think of Big Fun, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:11 (twenty-one years ago)

well the Jacksons are marginally superior

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Sunday, 15 August 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

the jacksons did a cover of it?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

vase - (rhymes with haze)
water - (swap out the t for two d's - wadder)
butter - (same thing - budderrrr)
niche - (nitch - ugh)
aunt - (ant)

― wtf, Sunday, 15 August 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I have that Six Finger Satellite/Green Magnet School CD, it's good, I must dig it out.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay, like - if I could change my pronounciation to sound more appropriate, like how the word is supposed to sound, I'd sound like a complete jerk. So I'll just stick to calling it "wadder."

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Sunday, 15 August 2004 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not supposed to sound like anything. That's your accent. Don't let the haters get you down.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I pounounce water as wart-err. So, wadder is better.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the thing that makes boogie comical now is that Americans don't much say boogie at all in regular speech, unless they're talking about/like someone in the 70s. Disco is pretty much a lost relic as well.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Please don't get the impression that British people are going around saying 'boogie' all the time either. Actually, please do.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

vincent van gogh always becomes vincent vango

wake me up before you van go

― erik, Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I think North Americans probably eschew any pronunciations that involve the epiglottis. Yo.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

the what?

― erik, Sunday, 15 August 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

david bowie, lester bowie

― timothy archer, Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i would sound RIDICULOUS (not to mention unbelievably pretentious) if i pronounced van gogh properly. doesn't someone get made fun of in a woody allen movie for doing so?

the boogie thing doesn't have anything to do with the word having funny associations. it just sounds silly: boooooo-gie. i can't help it. once a producer (english) i was working with sang part of hot chocolate's atomic boogie (contains like 92 mentions of the word) to me and i almost wet myself.

― lauren (laurenp), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I always thought it was Van Goth, that's how my teachers always said it.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

understand - (unner-shteee-and)

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 15 August 2004 21:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Schedule: In the US the sch is hard as in school. Whys you royal subjects always saying sHedule?

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

BECAUSE IT'S CORRECT

gaaargh

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and we're royal subjects by arbitration, not by choice. That dottery old sow has no control over me.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Hopping backward: Americans say "strawberry" quite well. Straw. Berry. Straw-berry. When English people say it, it sounds like a townful of stables.

― nabiscothingy, Monday, 16 August 2004 01:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Americans say years thus: Two thousand four

Now some Australians are doing it and ARGH it gets under my skin.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:19 (twenty-one years ago)

van GOKHHHHHHHHHH

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:38 (twenty-one years ago)

it's van gogh.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:39 (twenty-one years ago)

niche - (nitch - ugh)

You dont seriously mean anyone pronounces "niche" as "nitch"? Thats just silly. Why not say "kwitch" while yr at it (or "quickie", to go with the Sketch Show joke, heh).

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:42 (twenty-one years ago)

REAL men don't eat kwitch, silly australian lady!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

nucalar

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 August 2004 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Moving forwards, why do the English call the library the "librey" ? WTF!!!

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

some people here - many of whom actually work in libraries - insist of saying "Libarian"

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)

They don't say 'lye-BRARE-ree', if that's what you mean.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

no, they say "lye-BAR-ee"

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:42 (twenty-one years ago)

no, they say "lye-BARE-ee"

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Fuck that shit, I just call it the 'brar'

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:45 (twenty-one years ago)

we call it the resource centre. that way they can get us to do any old fucking shit they like even if it has nothing to do with 'brar' work.

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I kall it teh fr33 intarweb place OMGWTF.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

dat place where yas gets books

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

The museum.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:10 (twenty-one years ago)

The St Kilda book-shaped cool wall thingy place.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that place shaped like a book??

Argh, I've been in there 39287934743 times and I never knew that.

― Dirty Muriel (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, that whole front part with the weirdass curved window! Its an open book in stone form innit.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Theres another one then - "innit".

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 03:37 (twenty-one years ago)

My theory is that nobody speaks correct English except certain blessed individuals. I may or may not be among their number, but to claim so would be a sign of gross egotism.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 05:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Well I'm Australian so that counts me out anyway.

Cobber strewth mate dingo biscuit.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 05:36 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a code! I read that as "Oh my, whatever will I do with all these v23 posters?"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

You mean apart from let my cat destroy them *mutter kill deathstrangle damn cat etc ya boo*

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 16 August 2004 05:43 (twenty-one years ago)

"Little" and "Italy"
"Little Italy" just comes out all ridiculous-like

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 16 August 2004 06:57 (twenty-one years ago)

People say "nitch" for "niche" cause it's easier and it doesn't make you sound like a effete Frenchmen. Likewise we have neither the time nor the amount of effort required to enunciate the t's in water and butter.
One of the main criticisms of the American accent is that it sounds uncouth, but, that's okay. We'll take uncouth over effete anyday.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 16 August 2004 07:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think the American accent sounds uncouth, but I'd take effette.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 07:17 (twenty-one years ago)

There's nothing wrong with either.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 16 August 2004 07:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"mirror"

"twat"

"token"

"ok cool"

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 08:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Effeteness rulez, yo.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Bernard sounds like a very different and much funnier name to me in American.

Is it American to pronounce clique click?

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, and it's cute.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

we just clicked.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)

ILX is so clicky these days.

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The British pronounciation of library is lie-bree. They shorten it in speaking, as they do with alu-min-yum.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

same with 'straw-bree'

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

more like 'strow-bree'

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

sainsbrees.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

glaston-bree

(i got so much trouble from brits for my pronounciation 'glass-ton-BURY', but GODDAMMIT THAT'S HOW IT IS SPELLED)

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

All 'berries' pronounced 'bury' or burry'. Gooze-bury.

All 'burys' pronounced 'brees'.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

My friend was reporting how you could tell the American bands from the British ones at Glastonbury, by whether they said "Glastonbree" or "GLASTON-BERRY!!!"

Like, what kind of a berry is a Glaston-berry? (And can we eat it?)

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

PAUL MCCARTNEY IS NOT AN AMERICAN BAND!

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

(he was saying glas ton ber ree the whole time - but then again he talked a lot of other shite that night)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I guess "Glaston-BERRY" just sounds better with the Thumbs Aloft Wacky, dunnit?

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, he won't be coming to my town to party down, then. Also that's probably Scouse talk to say it like tha', love, come 'ead.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

stop saying things are things when they are not.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

my flatmate has made me say 'tuesday' over and over again while she giggles at me. something about missing a 'ch' sound at the beginning? WTF, there's no ch sound on tuesday!

i've also been advised that i should never try to say arse, since i sound like one. i'm allowed to say 'bloody' 'wanker' and 'quid', althought it's 'cute'. bleh.

i've been here long enough that it gets confusing. vocab and intonations going both ways, so people on both sides of the atlantic point and laugh at me when i speak...

― colette (a2lette), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

We say Choosdi, you say Toosday. Let's call the whole thing names.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost with Liz) Colette, British pronounciation of Tuesday really hasn't got a 'ch' in it, it's just 'tyoo' said incredibly fast. Tyoos-day.

RJG in whinging interjection when he hasn't anything worth adding SHOCKAH.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Schedule: In the US the sch is hard as in school. Whys you royal subjects always saying sHedule?

Dorothy Parker, whose invitation to lunch had been rebuffed for the unpteenth time by Herbert Marshall, who claimed a busy 'shedule' said, "If you don't mind my saying so, I think you're full of skit."

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

British pronounciation of Tuesday really hasn't got a 'ch' in it, it's just 'tyoo' said incredibly fast. Tyoos-day

Which seems appropriate as it's named for the god Tiu.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I say 'shed-yule' or 'skedgyul' in an interchangable way (so do a lot of British people).

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Since I was very young, I have used the bastardised version "Shked-yule" to keep my eggs in every basket at once. This makes my dad laugh like a drain. These days I usually say something like "let me check my diary" to avoid having to say the word.

And it's Chooseday. The day you have to choose.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Data:
DAY-ta (American)
DAH-ta (English)
DAA-ta (as in 'bAck')

I get mocked by my co-workers when I say 'DAY-ta'.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but how silly does it sound when Brits say "DAAAAAH-tahbase"?

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know anyone who says 'DAH-ta' (except Kraftwerk)! Your colleagues are winding you up, Rob.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

EDIN-BURRAH

(MATE)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I do. I work with DAAAAAAH-tabases, so I hear that particular pronounciation all the time.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

How odd. It's always DAY-TA and DAY-TA-BASES with everyone I come across.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

data

Which reminds me:
Lieutenant
And exponentially worse is Lieutenant Commander Data.
And even worse than that is hearing Patrick Stewart say it, cos he's English and should have told the Star Trek TNG producers to sod off, he's gonna pronounce "lieutenant" properly.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Which accent is saying "left-ennant"? I really am not sure any more.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

(DAAH-TABASE sounds like something your posh aunt would come out with)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

UK
xpost

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't make fun of my posh aunt. She owns half of Inverness, you know.

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but I bet she knows fuck all about databases.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

One girl I work with has a posh accent and she definitely says DAH-ta. I would normally say the flat verson DAA-ta, but I've now taken to using the stong american DAY to raise their ire.

I hate the way Americans say 'opportunity' - AAA-per-tunity. Bugs me for no real reason.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, usually it's the Managing Director that calls them "Daaaaah-tabases". And yes, often they know very little about Daaaaah-ta or Daaaaaah-tabases. Which is why they're willing to pay me pots of money to make daaaaaaaaah-tabases for them!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

It's DAA-ta (with as in 'bAck') that sounds wholly American.

DAY-ta is the norm here - believe me! DAH-ta is posh and sounds a bit out of touch with the modern worl

(unless we are saying DAY and DAH differently)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It could be the sound of your 't' that they are mocking. Like with 'water'.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I just feign ignorance and say 'datums'.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I have hard time describing my way of saying 'data' - it's not the posh 'DAH', not the American-ish 'DAY', but plain DAA. Like 'bag', 'amp', 'after', or sheep that go 'ba-a-a-a'

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

you're really weird Bolton, you know that? ;o)

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh, he's Canadian innit.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

eh?

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

POUTINE?

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.jenandtonic.ca/images/poutine.jpg

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh? What's all this aboot?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The two I come across that drive me up the wall are 'buoy' and 'route'.

That's not BHOO-AY or ROWT.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Buoys and Gulls, no? I only say 'rowt' when referring to the utter defeat of an army.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Rob, I presumed you meant it to rhyme with 'batter'. Which no one here does, and sounds vaguely American to my ears.

I still refuse to accept that DAY-TA is American.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

(I don't mean that Americans don't say it that way, just that most of us do as well)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I say 'Daytabase' but 'data' I pronounce with the same 'a' as in 'dad' or 'bag'. I'm a Kahleefornian.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

can we post about the different way people from america post on the internet?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

batter/dad/bag - yes, that's it. same for -bases as well.

maybe it's a canadian thing. and now that i think about it (i have devoted too much thought to this already) some of my brit non-posh-sounding co-workers say 'DAY', so i'm not sure anymore. i'd hazard a guess that the highest per-capita use of 'DAY' would be 'Mercans.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

most people i know say dayta base too. and day ta. only about 3 people i have ever heard say dah ta and i always think they're trying to sound clever ("yeah that's how you're supposed to say it").

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

another thing

"BABELFISH"

is it "Bah Boh Fish" or "Bay Boh Fish"? On hitchhikers guide to the galaxy the dude says "Bay Boh Fish"...

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I think us saying it dah-tah is totally made up, like us saying po-tah-to. Not one person in the long, bloody history of these sceptred isles has ever said it po-tah-to.

― Wooden (Wooden), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

My co-worker does. I swear. Po-TAH-to as well. I assumed it was a posh English thing. She is from Somerset, if that helps.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)

The more I hear about your office, the more it sounds like you're starring in some version of The Truman Show, Rob, revolving around cheap laughs at the Canadian.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I say "dayta".

I remember being slightly mocked by a teacher once whilst learning to read for pronouncing "colonel" and "lieutenant" the way they were spelt. "You must be pronouncing them like that because you're French" - NO! It's because they're spelt like that, stupid!

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I've only ever heard "Po-tah-tah" said/sung by Louis Armstrong.

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I say:

Paper = Pahper
Mug = Meg
Milk = Melk
Chair = Cheer
Forest = First
Lips = Leps
Speaker = Spackor
Baseball = Bossbool

/lies

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

well I say Lah-tin so screw you, pah-l

― beanz (beanz), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

"lieutenant"

is that not pronounced the way it's spelt??

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

No Ken - it's LEFF-tenant

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Which I think is bullshit, really. I mean, come on - LEFF? WTF?

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

what about lieutenant data?!??!?! (OMG THAT HAS BOTH WORDS IN IT!)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

omg that's an american/british thing as well!

loo tenant (haha!) - Abbr. LT or Lt. A commissioned rank in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard that is above lieutenant junior grade and below lieutenant commander.

lef tenant - A commissioned officer in the British and Canadian navies ranking just below a lieutenant commander.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

(i just looked up dictionary.com)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Ken, I can't believe you have reached whatever age you have without noticing that Americans and British say 'lieutenant' differently.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

wait. how do british people pronounce clique?

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm guessing it's a more Frenchy pronunciation: 'cleeck'

― na (Nick A.), Monday, 16 August 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, 'cleek'.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

aww! precious.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I never understood the lieutenant thing.

― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i've never noticed that. i'm going to attempt to steer conversation around to cleeeeek in future, because it's almost as good as boooooooogie.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd never heard of the 'lieutenant' thing either. I just always assumed that left-enant was a seperate word or something.

― na (Nick A.), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

The advantage of the European pronunciation of clique is that you can sing it in place of the word 'freak' in the Chic song "Le Freak."

― na (Nick A.), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ken, I can't believe you have reached whatever age you have without noticing that Americans and British say 'lieutenant' differently.

I know, me neither! I'm kind of enlightened and i'm glad this has been brought up today. I have heard of this "leftenant" thing before but I had just assumed that it were another rank altogether to lieutenant (in a way i guess it is)! I guess I was never into the army so much.

And my education of military ranks came from watching Star Trek!!

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean "leff-tennant", where does one retrieve the 'f' sound from the word "lieutenant"? If you are saying the phrase "In lieu of..." does it get pronounced "In leff of..."?

― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

The advantage of the American pronunciation of clique is that you can sing it in place of the word 'brick' in the Pink Floyd song "Another Brick in the Wall."

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

How do you say other words that end in -ique?
unick? technick? Martinick?

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)

clique is the only one that gets the ick treatment.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Cathy, quit being such a dique.

― na (Nick A.), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

(joke)

― na (Nick A.), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The 'lefftenant' pronunciation is British Army jargon, surely.

Joque?

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

(joque)

xpost!

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

when i first moved to england (from hong kong) i used to get terribly confused by the words "clique" "cliché" "quiche" and "crèche". It was most inconvenient.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Is quiche pronounced quiché in Hong Kong?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I say lefftenant, only I've always thought of it being a 'ph' sound in my head, which until recently I thought of as a different sound from f, but I've now realised it isn't.

I hate American.

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't think people even attempt to pronounce such words in hong kong... we just get by without a day nursery.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I love Cathy's head.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

In Star Trek I'm sure they call Data, date-er. It's Picard's influence.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Americans - please write "Beaulieu" and "Beauvoir" as you'd expect English people to pronounce them.

(they're English aristocratic country estates, in case you were wondering)

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Can you explain more?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Beaulieu = Boiler! I knew a guy with that name, and he called himself Mr.Boiler!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I can't explain more as I don't want to give them any clues.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm very confused. Are those spellings the right ones or the ones Americans use for these English aristrocratic estates?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, is this one of those Althorp conundrums? Beauvoir, I say like Simone de - and it's korrekt when talking about the bit of Hackney. I really hope the hice-dwellers don't really pronounce this 'beaver'. Beaulieu I thought was 'bewley' as in Bowie reference.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

THOSE ARE THE RIGHT SPELLINGS. Also, Suzy has spoiled my game by being to all intents and purposes British. boo :(

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah, Bewley, I've been there, when I was 5. It's full of old fashioned cars.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Americans - please write "Beaulieu" and "Beauvoir" as you'd expect English people to pronounce them.

OH! I thought this was an exasperated request to Americans generally - not a game. I see now.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

"Beaulieu" -- it would be more fun to pronounce this "Ballew."

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

(E.g. "Put the recycling in the ballew ballag.")

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

My grandmother's French, my childhood neighbour is an incredibly anachronistically posh mad scientist. These were not going to get past me. You have to HAVE game in the first place for me to spoil it! ;-)

Also you've got to figure on the 100 million Americans who like Elvis being able to pronounce Priscilla's maiden name the correct ie. French way. Which scuppers things.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Cholmondeley, anyone?

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Chumley.

Featherstonehaugh?

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Feather Stoner?

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

chal-mond-lee? *shrug*

Featherstone House?

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd imagine British people would pronounce Beaulieu "Boo-leff" judging by the lieutenant thing.

― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Fanshaw, no?

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay so my voice sounds stupid enough and now I have a dumb accent. I just wanna get voice surgery. Is there such a thing?

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Fanshaw is the correct pronounciation. Chumley is the correct pronunciation for the other one. The Chomondeley-Featherstonehaughs are a b-list modern dance troupe.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:17 (twenty-one years ago)

milngavie, you pricks.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread is just getting DUMB.

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Mill'n-garfie, you tube (pronounced CHOOB).

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Milngavnie is easy. It was Bearsden that tripped me up.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:23 (twenty-one years ago)

DUMB (pronounced with mincing French accent as 'dim')

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Milngavie, rather.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:24 (twenty-one years ago)

suzy (pronunced you-guessed-it)?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah cannae believe ah knae it masel.

Whit yis lookin' at? Ah'll chib yis!

/Marcello

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't believe it.

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 16 August 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought Milngavie was pronounced "Mul-guy" :(

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

oh my.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 16 August 2004 19:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I would LIKE, to have a RHEUEME, for my MINKEY.

― Inspector Clouseau (Rock Hardy), Monday, 16 August 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Poofter
Scouser
Geordie
Cheers (for thanks)
Bugger!
Brilliant!
Innit (aaaargghh!!!)

Of course, I say them all 'cause I'm a poncey cunt.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 16 August 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

cat apparently sounds like "cack" in american

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 20 January 2006 14:57 (twenty years ago)

Cats in America only sound like that if they're coughing up a hairball.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:20 (twenty years ago)

"Cat" is a American for "bloke" isn't it?

British: "Blimey guv, you're blooming great bloke and no mistake"
American: "Far out man, you're a cool cat, straight from the *fridge"

(*American for refrigerator)

― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Dada), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Dig that groovy jazz, man!

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:29 (twenty years ago)

cats in america sound like they're having a terrible time

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:30 (twenty years ago)

hence that song ...

we're the cats in america.. WOE

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:30 (twenty years ago)

According to recent ethylomological research, my last post is American for, "Sir, you have a remarkably deep pussy for a man."

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:32 (twenty years ago)

... see, cats again!

― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Dada), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:33 (twenty years ago)

In America, all the cats and chicks get their kicks at the hop.

That's just our way of life.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:51 (twenty years ago)

My dad says "Click" as in "That shower are a bloody click" and he's never been closer to the US than the Isle of Man. Another Scousism, perhaps.

The strawberry thing is kind of a reversal of the sitation with Maryland (locals: Merill'nd, Brits: Mary-land, land of Marys).

Having lived with an American for nearly eight years so my pronounciation has gone completely to cock. Or coque. Or cogh. Or co.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 January 2006 20:52 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand the use of "click" in your dad's usage.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 20 January 2006 21:00 (twenty years ago)

hahah tuna tube

― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 20 January 2006 21:02 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand any of this thread.

― Allyzay Rofflesberger (allyzay), Friday, 20 January 2006 21:03 (twenty years ago)

Click = clique; i.e. they're an exclusive club who look after their own interests. I'm trying to think of a particular group that my dad refers to a "click". For a long time I thought that my dad's usage of the term as exclusively pejorative was related to his harsh pronuncation. Like he was reserving "cleek" for his own chums down at the Poulton Vics. But he wasn't.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:01 (twenty years ago)

"That shower"?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Click = clique

you pronounce the latter cleek?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:07 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that's the confusing part.

xpost gabbneb, read the rest of the thread, it's all up there.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:08 (twenty years ago)

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:08 (twenty years ago)

Clique is originally French where it would be pronounced kleek.

How do you pronounce niche?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:09 (twenty years ago)

I don't do 2004, really, and yes I know the French derivation. I pronounce niche like Nitze, not like Nietzsche.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:11 (twenty years ago)

Michael, are you talking about a bathroom shower, or like, a wedding shower?

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:11 (twenty years ago)

(and yes I know that ch /= tz)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:12 (twenty years ago)

"Deep pussy" = that kitten's pondering some heavy shit, man.

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:13 (twenty years ago)

shower = flock (or, o-ho, claque)?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:14 (twenty years ago)

klatsch?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:22 (twenty years ago)

"snooker"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:29 (twenty years ago)

As in, "I snookered them into buying it"?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 20 January 2006 22:42 (twenty years ago)

Shower = gang or group of people, usually meant disparagingly or dismissively. "You rotten shower!" (though my dad would never say that). See also: Flann O'Brien!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 20 January 2006 23:11 (twenty years ago)

http://www.sshs57.com/2002Reunion/May18Bus/Showers.JPG

Look at those stuck-up showers, all grouped together by themselves...

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 20 January 2006 23:14 (twenty years ago)

"Fag"

― Louis Giomblechett and his kerayzy friends (dog latin), Saturday, 21 January 2006 04:15 (twenty years ago)

crikey

(i like to say this sometimes)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Saturday, 21 January 2006 06:41 (twenty years ago)

blimey - some sushi got laid before me tonight that really demanded a "blimey!" but i wasn't able to give it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 21 January 2006 07:01 (twenty years ago)

American: "Far out man, you're a cool cat, straight from the *fridge"

(*American for refrigerator)

Aussies call it a fridge too. I thought everyone did?

― Trayce (trayce), Saturday, 21 January 2006 07:13 (twenty years ago)

'twat'

my american friend says 'tworrt'

― Barnaby (Barnaby), Saturday, 21 January 2006 11:45 (twenty years ago)

"knackered" and "bollocks"

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 03:53 (twenty years ago)

Al Kay-duh

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 04:19 (twenty years ago)

Auckland, New Zealand

― Good Dog (Good Dog), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 10:31 (twenty years ago)

"bollocks" OTM - seems to get misread as bullocks 9 times out of 10.

Twat/Twot is pretty amusing too.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:26 (twenty years ago)

Hearing Americans say "aunt" is always good for a giggle - it sort of goes "aaaauuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwwwwwwnt"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:34 (twenty years ago)

Crazy talk. We pronounce "aunt" exactly like "ant." I've never heard an American draw it out like that.

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Maybe it's only the ones I know - they might be posh Americans

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:47 (twenty years ago)

Like Madonna?

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:53 (twenty years ago)

Well, yes it does seem to be Americans who are trying too sound all English and refined and getting it wrong

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:54 (twenty years ago)

Maybe this is something Americans only do when in England, which if so, is pretty funny.

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 13:08 (twenty years ago)

No, I've heard it on US films/TV. But it is mostly my boss, who tells me she tries not to speak with too much of an American accent because she doesn't want her daughter to pick it up - silly woman.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 13:09 (twenty years ago)

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch

― LoneNut, Wednesday, 1 February 2006 13:42 (twenty years ago)

http://www.lostluggagetales.com/photos/thumb/long-city.JPG

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 13:48 (twenty years ago)

I say 'awnt' instead of 'ant' for 'aunt' since, well, forever.

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 13:58 (twenty years ago)

But you don't say "aaaauuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwwwwwwnt," do you?

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:04 (twenty years ago)

From the OC last night; 'Oregano'

― Bidfurd__, Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:05 (twenty years ago)

"awnt" is still odd

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:06 (twenty years ago)

That looks like `the name of the Welsh village next to the one above!

x-post

― The Late Fear And The Potato Fear (kate), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Wait, how do British people say "aunt"? It's sort of "ahnt," isn't it?

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:09 (twenty years ago)

Like Americans, depends where you come from.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:10 (twenty years ago)

All short a's north of, errrrrrrrrr, Northampton or somewhere in the Midlands

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:12 (twenty years ago)

Oh right, I was thinking about how a BBC presenter might say it, but I should have thought of how Mark E. Smith would say it, too.

In my experience in the U.S., "awnt" isn't a regional pronunciation, but seems to be the most common pronunciation among African-Americans, no matter where they might live.

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 14:21 (twenty years ago)

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