Author Topic: Funny English and Linguistics stuff... (Read 217585 times)

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1100 on:** February 18, 2016, 09:11:22 PM »

Quote from: Jonathon on February 18, 2016, 11:30:36 AM

That's great. Would you mind if I shared it on Twitter?

Fine by me.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1101 on:** February 18, 2016, 09:15:26 PM »

Quote from: Farmgirl on February 18, 2016, 03:30:37 PM

Quote from: Jonathon on February 18, 2016, 11:30:36 AM
That's great. Would you mind if I shared it on Twitter?

I sure hope you can -- because I can't see her image (photobucket is blocked at my work); but I can see your Twitter! :-)

It's a sign that reads:

FRESH KIWI"S

6/$1.99

Jonathon · « **Reply #1102 on:** February 22, 2016, 02:27:30 PM »

Someone fed The Elements of Style into a predictive text generator and has been tweeting the results. I won't quote or post all of them, but here's one of my favorites:

I love that it almost makes sense.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1103 on:** February 22, 2016, 05:07:56 PM »

He left me for a woman who uses two spaces after a period

rivka · « **Reply #1104 on:** February 22, 2016, 05:16:02 PM »

rivka · « **Reply #1105 on:** February 23, 2016, 08:37:38 AM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfRSvTSY0d4

Farmgirl · « **Reply #1106 on:** February 28, 2016, 06:20:51 PM »

(now I wondered if I've always pronounced "mauve" incorrectly. Oh well, I will blame 'regional dialects')

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1107 on:** February 28, 2016, 09:09:44 PM »

I pronounce mauve to rhyme with drove.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #1108 on:** February 29, 2016, 02:30:16 PM »

Quote from: Farmgirl on February 28, 2016, 06:20:51 PM

Oh well, I will blame 'regional dialects'

My husband still thinks it's hilarious that I pronounce "naughty" and "knotty" the same.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1109 on:** February 29, 2016, 02:47:05 PM »

I still can't figure on how y'all pronounce Mary, marry, and merry the same.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #1110 on:** February 29, 2016, 03:19:56 PM »

Quote from: rivka on February 23, 2016, 08:37:38 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfRSvTSY0d4

He said "nephew" with a V. Weirdo.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #1111 on:** February 29, 2016, 03:20:17 PM »

And by "weirdo," I mean, "oh, those silly Brits."

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #1112 on:** February 29, 2016, 03:21:18 PM »

Quote from: Tante Shvester on February 29, 2016, 02:47:05 PM

I still can't figure on how y'all pronounce Mary, marry, and merry the same.

Yeah, well, the British video dude pronounced aunt to rhyme with grant and so do I. So you're the one out of alignment there.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1113 on:** February 29, 2016, 03:50:11 PM »

Quote from: Tante Shvester on February 29, 2016, 02:47:05 PM

I still can't figure on how y'all pronounce Mary, marry, and merry the same.

They're all "merry".

rivka · « **Reply #1114 on:** February 29, 2016, 04:11:59 PM »

Quote from: Annie Subjunctive on February 29, 2016, 03:20:17 PM

And by "weirdo," I mean, "oh, those silly Brits."

Yeah, there are a few Brit-specific pronunciations in the poem. I noticed the nephew one as well. Then again, Brits say "my nevvy", so it's consistent.

Quote from: Jonathon on February 29, 2016, 03:50:11 PM

They're all "merry".

That is just SO WRONG.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1115 on:** March 01, 2016, 09:04:29 AM »

There are proverbs and pronouns and adverbs, but no adnouns.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1116 on:** March 01, 2016, 09:24:50 AM »

Broker is a terrible name for someone who is supposed to be making you richer.

Ela · « **Reply #1117 on:** March 01, 2016, 09:27:36 AM »

Quote from: Jonathon on February 29, 2016, 03:50:11 PM

Quote from: Tante Shvester on February 29, 2016, 02:47:05 PM
I still can't figure on how y'all pronounce Mary, marry, and merry the same.

They're all "merry".

No. Just no.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1118 on:** March 01, 2016, 09:31:05 AM »

I didn't learn until college that they even could be pronounced differently. And for the record, most of the country pronounces them the same.

rivka · « **Reply #1119 on:** March 01, 2016, 09:48:04 AM »

Yes. And still, so very wrong.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1120 on:** March 01, 2016, 10:03:12 AM »

*apathetic shrug*

Keith · « **Reply #1121 on:** March 01, 2016, 10:37:34 AM »

I had to go looking, because I couldn't figure out how to say them differently.

Quote

If you wish to try to simulate the distinction for people who do not normally make it, I have found that it is best to illustrate it this way:

Marry has the same vowel as Matt or mat, so IPA /æ/.
Merry has the same vowel as met, so IPA /ɛ/.
Mary has the same vowel as mate or may, so IPA /eɪ/ or /e/, depending on just how glide-y you are feeling.

Is that what sounds right to you, rivka and Tante? (No surprise being from Utah, I was on the "they are all merry" bandwagon.)

Jonathon · « **Reply #1122 on:** March 01, 2016, 10:40:52 AM »

Quote from: Keith on March 01, 2016, 10:37:34 AM

I had to go looking, because I couldn't figure out how to say them differently.

That's how I felt when I first learned about the cot–caught merger.

rivka · « **Reply #1123 on:** March 01, 2016, 10:42:46 AM »

Quote from: Keith on March 01, 2016, 10:37:34 AM

Is that what sounds right to you, rivka and Tante?

More or less.

Ela · « **Reply #1124 on:** March 01, 2016, 11:01:42 AM »

Quote from: rivka on March 01, 2016, 10:42:46 AM

Quote from: Keith on March 01, 2016, 10:37:34 AM
Is that what sounds right to you, rivka and Tante?
More or less.

Yes, pretty much.