Pet Peeve Regarding The Slaying Of The English Language.

[DingoGirl]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh busted for too many quotes!

My husband thinks it's funny to pronounce the "j" in there. Nobody else ever thinks so though. My dad asks for corn "torteelias". *cringe* My mom ordered "crewsonts" for croissants. I didn't do well with French but I do know how that is pronouced.

this has very much to do with the musical ear, or....the ear that can HEAR things. Musical talent relates very much to language talent....so, not all can pronounce what they hear. They are most likely better in MATH!

I live in California, which is at least 50 percent hispanic, so Mexican language is heard everywhere, and often. But I"ve had friends and boyfriends who could ONLY say:

"El pole-oh loco" and not POYO, as I could. and "tor-TILL-ahs" as.......they didn't have the correct ear. I studied three langues besides english (and years of classical piano), and was almost a language major....so had the ear. I would try gently to say it correctly, and point out correct pronounciation (sp?), but they could only SAY what they SAW.

Point is - it's NOT THEIR FAULT!!

Tarnalberry - I have absolutely no problem with tummy, and use this with my dog. She GETS it!

One of my colleagues pronounces "heirloom" as "hair" loom. And once I saw a sign at a farmer's market where they were selling "air lum" tomatoes.

Here in Minnesota, because of the German influence, we will ask you (when we go to the store, for example) "Do you want to come with?"

Many people around here will pronounce a th as a T. So we hear "Tursday." Apparently this comes from an a certain ethnic group that immigrated here in the 19th century (Bohemians, I think).

And then there are the dreaded words: sucker (from a tree, which some people pronounce as "sooker,") gist (which some people say with a hard g--list grist without the t) and giblets (also said often with the hard g.)

these are, in my opinion, charming regional colloquialisms, transferred from Euro prononciations. Martha Stewart always pronounces the "H" in "herb," and I"ve never had a problem with it...but the "H" is silent on the west coast.

That reminded me. My late mother used to love to eat at El Pollo Loco. Let's see if I can do this:

"el polla locka"

see my first entry - they can't do it !

My MIL (English/Welsh) always said Saraday for Saturday And then there are the Mundy, Toosdy, Wensdy types

there is a southern best-seller called Cold Sassy Tree........and that is, in fact, how they write Saturday - "saraday" - found it charming and put me in the exact place!

same with

Tues-dee

Wednes-dee

etc. - very regional

Celiac's AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I have Lyme's Disease too. You know, named after that famous guy Joe Lyme

Lyme's DOES drive me NUTS!!!!!!!!! it's L Y M E , people!!!!!!!!!!! can't fix it, just like you can't fix Celiac's........

This reminds me......

Our local high school has The PAC......Performing Arts Center

Almost EVERYBODY calls it The PAC Center

I appreciate this as we have the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). My boss CONSTANTLY writes "the PCT Trail" and thank God he has me to correct this.

"PIN Number" Doh--it stands for Personal Identification Number. Redundant tautology, n'est-ce pas?

"ATM Machine" - Uh, what did you think the M stood for? Money?

see above

Notice to all ye psillies . . . I'm keeping track of which phrases annoy you most . . . to be used at the appropriate (button-pushing) times on the Tickle thread . . . bwaaahhhaaahhhaaaa!

yup, you will

I was watching a cooking show and I swear the chef first said giblets with the hard "g" and then later said it right.

whot? I thought the "g" was a SOFT "g" - pronounced "jiblets" - do people say this otherwise? never hoid it.....

Ah, now we're talking about Mondegreens (As in "They shot poor Edward dead, and Lady Mondegreen)" which was actually "laid 'im on de green")

And I'll tell one on myself, as not a native born American (so can be excused) The Star Spangled Banner: "And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave truth to the lie that our flag was till there."

Summerteeth - (can't quote as was busted) -

"warsh" is very midwestern. hence, CHARMING to moi!

and........by "ness-le" do you mean "ness-lee?" am confused..........but I like it

I thought of another thing I dislike today:

"it is what is is"

well, of COURSE it is..........DUH!!!!!!!!!

[Juliebove]

I'll tell one on myself. I grew up hearing Massachusetts pronounced as Mass-a-two-sh!ts. I didn't ever realize I was saying it wrong until I met my husband. The first time I said it he said, "WHAT did you say!?"

I'm still careful about saying that word...

My 5th grade teacher said this. He was a real practical joker so we never knew if he was doing it on purpose or not.

[summerteeth]

Summerteeth - (can't quote as was busted) -

"warsh" is very midwestern. hence, CHARMING to moi!

and........by "ness-le" do you mean "ness-lee?" am confused..........but I like it

Yes. I am talking about the candy company. She says "Nessle Crunch Bars" instead of "Nestle Crunch Bars"

The other ones I understand are a Midwest thing. MALK and WARSH drive me batty. I think she made NESSLE up all on her own. She's still my memaw though, despite the blatant butchering of the English language.

Memaw and Pepaw... now there is Midwestern dialect for ya.

[Juliebove]

Yes. I am talking about the candy company. She says "Nessle Crunch Bars" instead of "Nestle Crunch Bars"

The other ones I understand are a Midwest thing. MALK and WARSH drive me batty. I think she made NESSLE up all on her own. She's still my memaw though, despite the blatant butchering of the English language.

Memaw and Pepaw... now there is Midwestern dialect for ya.

I went with my midwestern grandma to a Mexican restaurant and she ordered a burrito but she pronouced the "u" like the "u" in bureau.

[Shess0816]

I went with my midwestern grandma to a Mexican restaurant and she ordered a burrito but she pronouced the "u" like the "u" in bureau.

When my boyfriend's family goes out for ice cream they always get chocolate MOLTS...you know, kind of like what birds do...apparently their MALTS do the same thing....

[mushroom]

When my boyfriend's family goes out for ice cream they always get chocolate MOLTS...you know, kind of like what birds do...apparently their MALTS do the same thing....

Okay, I've got to bite on that one. How else on earth does one pronounce it? Like WALT Disney.....???? I'm confoosed.

[psawyer]

Okay, I've got to bite on that one. How else on earth does one pronounce it? Like WALT Disney.....???? I'm confoosed.

Yep, rhymes with Walt (or salt).

[Swimmr]

You mean the mountain folk end????

Swimmr... I heard that everyday growing up in southeastern VA. E V E R Y D A Y

The city I grew up in had a language specific to it's inhabitants. Skreet, pruncil (for pencil), fity cent, the list could go on and on, and on, and on.

No, eastern NC

I hear it everyday too

[Swimmr]

OHHHH..this is right up my alley. Being from the Northeast, having moved south was quite an adjustment. One syllable words are two, and vice versa. (that's one right there people saying visA versa...VICE versa) or Real A tor, instead of REAL tor. At a job I had for the longest time I thought a man at work's name was DEEK. It was actually Dick. And FayETville is pronounced FATEville. Hell and Hail are both pronounced the same. And instead of "I could use a drink" I MIGHT could use a drink! (HUH?)

Someone who AKS a question instead of ASKING makes me almost explode.

This is fun...

That is familiar to me However, I hear fed'vul (fayetteville) all. the. TIME! Or more commonly knowns as fayette-h*ll, fatal-ville, or fayette-nam.

[mushroom]

Yep, rhymes with Walt (or salt).

Yep, that's what I mean. I have occasionally in the US heard sahlt, but usually malt, Walt, salt, molt (or moult), t'is all de same.

[Jestgar]

Yep, that's what I mean. I have occasionally in the US heard sahlt, but usually malt, Walt, salt, molt (or moult), t'is all de same.

Walt's malted salt molted the colt's volt.

[mushroom]

Walt's malted salt molted the colt's volt.

Where I live, that could theoretically be done provided there was some volt in the colt, but on further research, I reckon it all depends on whether you speak de Queen's English (Oxford dictionary "solt") or 'Merican English (Webster's dictionary "sawlt" ) That last was a pronunciation variant I thought of fleetingly in the middle of the night.

[Lisa16]

Thought you might enjoy this one from Ahajokes.com

The English Language

Have you ever wondered why foreigners have trouble with the English Language?

Let's face it

English is a stupid language.

There is no egg in the eggplant

No ham in the hamburger

And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.

English muffins were not invented in England

French fries were not invented in France.

We sometimes take English for granted

But if we examine its paradoxes we find that

Quicksand takes you down slowly

Boxing rings are square

And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If writers write, how come fingers don't fing.

If the plural of tooth is teeth

Shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth

If the teacher taught,

Why didn't the preacher praught.

If a vegetarian eats vegetables

What the heck does a humanitarian eat!?

Why do people recite at a play

Yet play at a recital?

Park on driveways and

Drive on parkways

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy

Of a language where a house can burn up as

It burns down

And in which you fill in a form

By filling it out

And a bell is only heard once it goes!

English was invented by people, not computers

And it reflects the creativity of the human race

(Which of course isn't a race at all)

That is why

When the stars are out they are visible

But when the lights are out they are invisible

And why it is that when I wind up my watch

It starts

But when I wind up this observation,

It ends.

[debmidge]

My two cents:

Pronouncing "baff" for the word "bath;" and then "wiff" for "with."

And what is origin of the expresssion "my bad?" First time I heard it I thought the person saying it had diminished capacity......I felt the person knew they owed someone an apology but just did not have the ability to verbalize it.

We still tease my Mom over her pronounciation of tiger (she says TAG-er) and fire (she says FAy-er) (western PA accent - perhaps a left-over from when her descendants moved north from West Virginia?)

And from the other side of the family, NY style: bottle is pronounced "bott-el"

I have a friend who moved south and found the "Bless Your/her/his Heart" expression being said with a note of derision (bad-mouthing) about the person being spoken about.

[2Boys4Me]

Okay...you asked for it . Please bear in mind it is a very short drive to drive me crazy. I have worked in TV newsrooms for 20 years and I'm horrified by some of the writing and use of language. I'm not a writer though, so what can I do?

Words I hate:

toddler (I don't know why, I just hate it)

tummy (no one over the age of 5 should use this...Tarnalberry, I'll let you off the hook since you are referring to someone under the age of 5 when you use it.)

signage (We already have a word for this and the word is SIGNS. We don't need better signage at the intersection, we need better SIGNS. Signage is NOT a real word! GAAAH!)

impact (as in: The public is impacted by higher prices and a global recession. No they aren't! They are affected by it. They don't have jobs any more. An impact is a crash/collision or dental problem.)

It is what it is. (WTH? I'm working on a mat leave contract until April and at the station where I'm working now they use this sentence all the time. I must hear it 5 times a day. What a bu//sh!t sentence. It doesn't even mean anything! GAAAH!)

My mom provides me with two: fill-em (film) and ba-tree(battery).

My younger son always corrects my MIL when she says something like "We ran out of potaytuhs on Sundee." He'll reply, "PotatOHS...SunDAY." Then she'll make fun of his r's which he has trouble pronouncing sometimes.

There are many, many more but I'll stop now.

[jerseyangel]

ba-tree(battery).

I was just thinking of that one the other day! I used to work with an older woman who always pronounced it that way.

[Wolicki]

My Philadelphia family says:

Ewe's want some cwoffee?

I asked once why they say you's. Answer: If I said you, it would seem like I was only talking to one of yous!

[2Boys4Me]

Teacher to student, "Use the word 'bewitches' in a sentence."

Student, "Youse go ahead, I'll betwitches in a minute."

More words I hope I don't hear while driving to Crazytown.

unthaw

irregardless

TO-tuhlee! (A girl at work uses the word "totally" roughly 6372 times daily, and it's starting to get to me. She uses it to convey agreement with someone else's comment. "I love coffee." "Totally!")

side by each

would of (written instead of would've...in fact, I'd prefer that rather than hear people say something like "I would of gotten there faster if I would of taken the highway" I could hear "I would've gotten there faster if I had taken the highway".)

mis-use of the words bring and take. If I'm in Canada, people aren't bringing supplies from Canada to New Orleans to help with hurricane relief, they're taking supplies. If I'm in Louisiana then the Canadians are bringing supplies. The Canadians are taking supplies with them. They are bringing them here (to New Orleans).

Every once in a while my older son will say, "I'm confussed" instead of "I'm confused". Oddly, I find it charming and not alarming at all. Go figure. One time he said, "Mom, what's a pro-teeg?" I drew a blank and had him use it in a sentence. It was protege. I used a Star Wars reference to answer him. "It's like a Padawan learner." I said. I got bonus points for that.

I also had a college prof who used the old, "You're putting emPHAsis on the wrong sylLABle." Another poster mentioned this earlier. I love that saying and use it often.

[mushroom]

This may sound picky but it drives me nuts: Correct--between nine and ten; correct--from nine to ten. What you now hear most of the time (incorrect): between nine to ten. AAagggh!

[Shess0816]

Here's one of my favorite scenarios! The one where the parents think it's cute to let their kids say things the wrong way their entire lives and NEVER correct them! lol

I have to say, I'm definitely a product of that issue! When I was little, instead of saying CLOSET -- as in --- where did you put your coat? In the closet --- I added an extra letter in there, so it came out CLOSENT. I said it so often while I was little with NO corrections from mom and dad that unless I'm really paying attention to what I'm talking about, that darn "N" will still slip in there!! I've been asked on multiple occasions what a CLOSENT is....I just tell them to go ask my amused mother...

The other one my sisters and I all have issues with is DRAW.... When we were all little, we would DRALL pictures in stead of DRAW pictures.... Again, if I'm not really paying attention, I still DRALL pictures...

[2Boys4Me]

Alright is alwrong. All right?

[jerseyangel]

Alright is alwrong. All right?

Correct!

[curlyfries]

Effect and affect

Sit and set

Lay and lie

[Lisa]

Sheez....after reading all this, it is clear that foreigners find English one of the most difficult languages to learn.

[Juliebove]

My brother and I both put an "l" in the word "both". We say "bolth". I find it difficult to pronounce it any other way.

My SIL is named Melanie. But her mother calls her Melnee. No "a" in there.

My MIL pronounces Toyota in a very painful way. She sort of says "Tuh" and there is a pause then she says oytuh.

Also in the area of PA where my husband's relatives are they say "Rahgood" for Ricotta cheese and pits for pizza.