Sometimes people in Scotland ask me if I'm American or Canadian and then apologize for not being able to precisely pinpoint my accent. At first I commiserated with them that the accents are very similar, but lately I've been so aware of the fact that Steve and I pronounce LOTS of words differently. LOTS.
Here's a short list of some of those words:
pasta
pint
pecan
process
garage
Laura
Mazda (I was shocked in Canada this summer when I heard the TV announcer pronouncing this word the way Steve says it. My TV in America supports my pronunciation.)
film
northern
iron (The Scots agree with Steve's pronunciation on this one.)
fertile
won't
crudite
Not that our language differences are important, but I'm still dead set on establishing peh-KAHN as the ONLY appropriate pronunciation for pecan in our home.
8 comments:
I'm trying to imagine how the word crudite enters into everyday conversation.
I grew up in an international household so word pronunciation was adapted to which ever parent was being addressed and totally changed to the local dialect when outside the home to avoid school yard teasing and possible fights.
I learned when in Rome pronounce as the Romans do.
KWB
I could issue an encyclical on the proper enunciation of "pin" versus "pen" .... sadly, my children, who spend most of their hours with my other half and this half, would lend my encyclical precious little credence. ---MarmDad
I could issue an encyclical on the proper enunciation of "pin" versus "pen" .... sadly, my children, who spend most of their hours with my other half and NOT this half, would lend my encyclical precious little credence. ---MarmDad
I agree with you about pecan. I'm curious as to how one could pronounce some of the other words.
I've often wondered how I could grow up pronouncing things like restaurant and Chicago differently from how my parents say it.
I've been told (by someone rather bossy on these points) that I mispronounce "pinguin" and "porkypine"--but just look how they're spelled. I have my own issues, though. The way the Commonwealth folks pronounce "pasta" drives me batty.
O.k. So know I need to know how you two are saying the words differently. Some of them I can only think of one pronunciation (i.e. iron.) Please elaborate!
Todd starts to talk different after being in Idaho--his hick comes back out. If Steve loves you he will change. :)
The first time I went to a prenatal class I thought I might have to jump up and strangle the nurse who was our instructor. She kept talking about how we should all bring a "pellow" to class in the future, only she couldn't just say it once. There is only so much torture a person can take at the hands of Utahns.
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