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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Narnia on February 06, 2007, 11:25:47 AM

Title: Familiar
Post by: Narnia on February 06, 2007, 11:25:47 AM

My sister and I have noticed an epidemic of people on television pronouncing 'familiar' with a stray 'r'.  "Fermiliar."  Have you noticed this?  Is it normal?  Can it be stopped?

It drives us crazy.

Title: Familiar
Post by: pooka on February 06, 2007, 11:31:13 AM

I thought you were going to complain about it being pronounced on the end.

Title: Familiar
Post by: Porter on February 06, 2007, 11:32:15 AM

I wonder if that's related to some British dialects pronouncing drawing with an extra 'R', like "drawring".

Title: Familiar
Post by: Jonathon on February 06, 2007, 11:34:58 AM

It's not just people on television—I hear it plenty in real life, too. Also "phertographer."

Title: Familiar
Post by: Narnia on February 06, 2007, 11:37:04 AM

>.<  Oooh.  I've never heard that one.

Title: Familiar
Post by: Jonathon on February 06, 2007, 11:39:50 AM

Quote

I wonder if that's related to some British dialects pronouncing drawing with an extra 'R', like "drawring".

It's probably more like "warsh," I'd imagine. The British intrusive /r/ separates vowels, while the intrusive /r/ in "warsh" comes between the vowel and the end of the syllable.

Title: Familiar
Post by: Jonathon on February 06, 2007, 11:40:04 AM

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>.<  Oooh.  I've never heard that one.

You will now. :devil:  

Title: Familiar
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 06, 2007, 01:27:51 PM

Yeah, what's up with the British and their messed up r's?  They leave them off where they ought to be, and save them for sticking in where they don't belong.  They thunk up this language, you'd think they could get it right, huh?

I love mocking the newsreaders on BBC radio. (Of course, I'm alone in the car, so no one's feelings are getting hurt)  Instead of calling it News Hour, they say News Ahhh.  I bet when they get sore throats, the doctor looks in with that tiny flashlight and tells them to say "hour".

And, in my husband's family, every member has his own dialect.

My husband says "wash".
His brother pronounces it "warsh".
His mother says "versh".
His father says "vash".
And his other (pretentious) brother says "cleanse".

Title: Familiar
Post by: Porter on February 06, 2007, 01:41:05 PM

Quote

Yeah, what's up with the British and their messed up r's? They leave them off where they ought to be, and save them for sticking in where they don't belong.

I think there's some sort of "Conservation of 'R's" principle at work.

Title: Familiar
Post by: rivka on February 07, 2007, 12:23:39 AM

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Yeah, what's up with the British and their messed up r's?  They leave them off where they ought to be, and save them for sticking in where they don't belong.

A NEW YORKER criticizing incorrect "r" usage??? From the home of "Mayah, put the soder in the lockah" ("Meir, put the soda in the locker")?

Title: Familiar
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 07, 2007, 12:31:41 PM

Rivka, do I really sound like that?

Title: Familiar
Post by: rivka on February 07, 2007, 06:30:59 PM

Nope. But didn't you say that you deliberately modulated your natural NY accent when you were in college?

And certainly MANY New Yawkahs do sound like that. Kol ha'nuyorkim areivim zeh b'zeh? ;)

Title: Familiar
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 07, 2007, 07:13:46 PM

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But didn't you say that you deliberately modulated your natural NY accent when you were in college?

I did.  That's why I asked.  I thought maybe it didn't take as well as I had hoped.

Title: Familiar
Post by: rivka on February 07, 2007, 07:25:28 PM

I cited your hometown, not you specifically, and the word choice was deliberate. :)

Title: Familiar
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 07, 2007, 07:28:46 PM

Phew!