Heaven: 2021 Proof Americans and Brits speak a different language

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  • Alzheimer's disease said as old timers disease. Common.

    A famous eggcorn.
  • SparrowSparrow Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Washington State--and some other Western states--have counties, towns, even cities, that are from native American languages. Some of them are very interesting to figure out.

    Just one example Sequim. Take a stab at how to pronounce it.

    See-kim?

  • SparrowSparrow Shipmate
    My particular annoyance is people over here (UK) who pronounce the place where our Parliament is as West-min-I-ster.

    It's not. It's West-MIN-STER.

    Confusion probably arises because our senior Government politicians are MINI-STERS.
  • EirenistEirenist Shipmate
    And don't forget 'Yes, Minister'. It could have been meant as a joke.
  • Every year UK tennis fans are treated to Chris Evert's thoughts from Whim-ple-ton. It's Wim-BLE-don Chris.
  • rhubarbrhubarb Shipmate
    I find it odd that on tv programmes from the UK I hear people referred to as being on the floor when I would say they were on the ground (unless inside their house).
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    I find "on the floor" for anything other than the floor of a building odd too. It's not a UK usage in this part of the UK.
  • Its not standardUK usage.
  • Penny S wrote: »
    I could really have done with the schwa symbol at college. we had a day training to use th e Initial Teaching Alphabet, which we would have had to produce all the classroom materials in. As practice, we had to transcribe the story of Cinderella. I did OK until the name which, when I sounded it out had two schwas, one between d and r, and one at the end. Only the ITA didn't do schwas. I asked how I was supposed to write it, and was told that I had to use the e sign and the a sign. At which point I decided to have nothing to do with ITA. It was supposed to be completely phonetic and easily moved on from to normal orthography. But it couldn't be both.

    ITA totally sucked. I say this from the perspective of a first grader taught to read in the traditional way and suddenly forced to attend an ITA-mad school that marked my spelling tests wrong for not spelling "of" as "uv."

    Forty years later, and I'm still not over it.
  • You know reading this thread is going to totally fuck me up when I read the lessons for church tomorrow? (Yes, from a socially safe distance)
  • orfeoorfeo Suspended
    Every year UK tennis fans are treated to Chris Evert's thoughts from Whim-ple-ton. It's Wim-BLE-don Chris.

    So basically you're complaining that she over-emphasises consonants?

    p-b and t-d are pairs you know.
  • No, no. Wimpleton is where nuns play tennis.
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    No, no. Wimpleton is where nuns play tennis.

    Rimshot.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Ace - game, set and match.
  • orfeo wrote: »
    Every year UK tennis fans are treated to Chris Evert's thoughts from Whim-ple-ton. It's Wim-BLE-don Chris.

    So basically you're complaining that she over-emphasises consonants?

    p-b and t-d are pairs you know.

    Yes to the first. Meanwhile maybe commentators should start referring to her as Ms Everd?
  • orfeo wrote: »
    Every year UK tennis fans are treated to Chris Evert's thoughts from Whim-ple-ton. It's Wim-BLE-don Chris.

    So basically you're complaining that she over-emphasises consonants?

    p-b and t-d are pairs you know.

    Yes to the first. Meanwhile maybe commentators should start referring to her as Ms Everd?

    What is allowed and what is required are two different things. But you knew that.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Sparrow wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Washington State--and some other Western states--have counties, towns, even cities, that are from native American languages. Some of them are very interesting to figure out.

    Just one example Sequim. Take a stab at how to pronounce it.

    See-kim?

    Drop the e, pronounce the q as qw. Sounds like sqwim.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    Sparrow wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Washington State--and some other Western states--have counties, towns, even cities, that are from native American languages. Some of them are very interesting to figure out.

    Just one example Sequim. Take a stab at how to pronounce it.

    See-kim?

    Drop the e, pronounce the q as qw. Sounds like sqwim.

    Pronounce the qu as qu. That part at least is far from esoteric.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    mousethief wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Sparrow wrote: »
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    Washington State--and some other Western states--have counties, towns, even cities, that are from native American languages. Some of them are very interesting to figure out.

    Just one example Sequim. Take a stab at how to pronounce it.

    See-kim?

    Drop the e, pronounce the q as qw. Sounds like sqwim.

    Pronounce the qu as qu. That part at least is far from esoteric.

    Mousetheif,

    I defer to you since you do live near Sequim.

  • ... or squirm without the R :grin:

    I'll get my coat.
  • My point is that "qw" is not a possible English phonetic spelling. "qu" already means "kw" so there's no need to write "qw" anyway.
  • john holdingjohn holding Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Unless you are talking to someone whose mother tongue is not English (French or Spanish, for example, or whatever language is spoken by the head of the WHO Dr Tadros), in which case "qu" is invariably pronounced "k"
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    What is the "correct" pronunciation of "Schedule"? Does it begin Sked or Shed?

    I've heard both, I'm pretty sure I've used both, and I'm confused!
  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Here (American South) it’s sked-ule, just like school is skool. In my experience, that’s generally the case in the US.

    I’ve heard an explanation for why shed-ule is the more common UK pronunciation and sked-ule is more common in the US, but I can’t for the life of me remember what that explanation was.

  • EirenistEirenist Shipmate
    'Sh' would be the pronunciation in German, so Brits would think that was correct?
  • Canadian here. I say both. No idea what gets me to say one or the other.
  • Schedule (like school, scheme, schism and I think most other words that begin with sch) is from Greek, not German, and sked would be closer to the Greek. I’m thinking that perhaps the shed pronunciation was influenced by French, whereas the sked pronunciation was influenced by Webster’s preference for a pronunciation closer to the Greek.

  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    Schedule (like school, scheme, schism and I think most other words that begin with sch) is from Greek, not German, and sked would be closer to the Greek. I’m thinking that perhaps the shed pronunciation was influenced by French, whereas the sked pronunciation was influenced by Webster’s preference for a pronunciation closer to the Greek.

    The original pronunciation of the English word would be Sedule, owing to its coming from French Cédule. The spelling with an sch- started to creep in because of the ultimate derivation from Latinised Greek. The pronunciations sh- and sk- both in turn derive from that spelling innovation.
  • Ah, thanks. That may be what I heard and have been trying to remember.
  • What do you call toilet paper in your area? Toilet paper, and TP are common. But also less politely "bum wad" and more recently heard "poop ticket". This is western Canada.

    I admit that my interest is stimulated purely because of runs on it (pun intended).
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    The official name is toilet paper, but 'Bumf' or 'Loo roll' are widely prevalent in the circles I live in. That's why needless paperwork and wodges of tedious documents are referred to as 'bumf'. In the past, 'bog roll'.

    I'm taken with 'poo ticket'. Unknown here but might adopt that one.
  • edited March 2020
    Does that mean the word bog is used for poo?

    A bog here is a moss filled former slough (said sloo like "Cain slew Abel", what is called a pond elsewhere) .
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    Bogroll. A bog is a khazi, crapper, or the room or out-building in which it is situated.

    May be pluralised - "I found a stash of jazz mags behind the bogs" - "I came across some Adult literature secreted behind the public conveniences"

  • I always thought that 'bumf' was short for 'bum fodder', which must be going back to schooldays. 'Bog' has always meant toilet, with 'bogroll' as the obvious relative, but may just be UK usage.
  • It’s pretty much just toilet paper or TP here.
  • orfeoorfeo Suspended
    Damn. For once Australians aren't terribly inventive. I'm struggling to think of ever hearing it called something besides toilet paper or a toilet roll. Even if you're going to the loo rather than the toilet.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    You'd think there'd be something based on dunny.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    orfeo wrote: »
    Damn. For once Australians aren't terribly inventive. I'm struggling to think of ever hearing it called something besides toilet paper or a toilet roll. Even if you're going to the loo rather than the toilet.

    Or loo paper, which seems pretty common around here.
  • rhubarbrhubarb Shipmate
    We say both toilet paper and loo roll
  • Though usually toilet paper or TP, I've occasionally heard toilet tissue (as opposed to facial tissue).
  • I hear toilet tissue in advertisements, but I rarely hear a Real PersonTM call it that.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    There is a meme going around, to the effect:

    Name a Movie and change a word with Toilet Paper--or loo roll.

    My nomination: Fist full of Toilet Paper.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    There is a meme going around, to the effect:

    Name a Movie and change a word with Toilet Paper--or loo roll.

    My nomination: Fist full of Toilet Paper.

    See "Gone with the Toilet Paper" in the Circus.
  • "Toilet Tissue" is seen on many a package of TP. Also "bathroom tissue." I think the Spanish have it right calling it "hygienic paper."
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Never heard it as TP. I'd use toilet roll in polite company and bogroll in more casual speech.
  • Tree BeeTree Bee Shipmate
    As a Kath and Kim fan I’m familiar with the Australian use of the word tut for toilet. I think that’s how it must be spelt.
  • We must not forget the perfectly proper Swedish word for bogroll: kräpp.
    (Closely related to crêpe, of course).
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I'd call it either loo roll or bog roll, depending on the politeness level of the company I'm in.

    As for schedule, my understanding is that "shedule" is the Brit pronunciation and "skedule" the American.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Tree Bee wrote: »
    As a Kath and Kim fan I’m familiar with the Australian use of the word tut for toilet. I think that’s how it must be spelt.

    Probably toot - but can't recall ever seeing it written
  • We must not forget the perfectly proper Swedish word for bogroll: kräpp.
    (Closely related to crêpe, of course).

    Oh, I thought that was a build-it-yourself toilet from IKEA.
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