A language question
#136
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: A language question
I honestly didn't realize there were gender specifics like this - thought it was only in other languages. I know the Polish language has those gender specifics, as does Spanish, but I didn't know about the American ones. (And I did look it up - but not in Webster's - in the Oxford Modern English Dictionary. Thanks for the "English" lesson - guess I don't know as much as I thought I did!
Please note: I do know how to use apostrophes properly, though.
Please note: I do know how to use apostrophes properly, though.
Last edited by Sally Redux; Aug 28th 2011 at 1:05 am.
#137
Re: A language question
Another one - the World Cup (no stress on first word, please) after next will be held in Qatar, do the Americans really pronounce that 'Cutter' ? ('Cudder')
#138
Re: A language question
Oh, after so long I'd assumed you'd have had to alter pronunciation at times to avoid not being understood or because you were 'linguistically soft'....
Another one - the World Cup (no stress on first word, please) after next will be held in Qatar, do the Americans really pronounce that 'Cutter' ? ('Cudder')
Another one - the World Cup (no stress on first word, please) after next will be held in Qatar, do the Americans really pronounce that 'Cutter' ? ('Cudder')
#139
Re: A language question
Oh, after so long I'd assumed you'd have had to alter pronunciation at times to avoid not being understood or because you were 'linguistically soft'....
Another one - the World Cup (no stress on first word, please) after next will be held in Qatar, do the Americans really pronounce that 'Cutter' ? ('Cudder')
Another one - the World Cup (no stress on first word, please) after next will be held in Qatar, do the Americans really pronounce that 'Cutter' ? ('Cudder')
I am told at home (UK) I have a bit of an American accent, but after a couple of weeks it disappears, I think it's more of going back to a more sing song Welsh accent at home where here (California) You go up at the end of the sentence, so thats where my accent differs here I think, more so if I'm working. They understand me fine usually, although I have asked for things in Spanish occasionally to be understood
#140
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,095
Re: A language question
I honestly didn't realize there were gender specifics like this - thought it was only in other languages. I know the Polish language has those gender specifics, as does Spanish, but I didn't know about the American ones. (And I did look it up - but not in Webster's - in the Oxford Modern English Dictionary.) Thanks for the "English" lesson - guess I don't know as much as I thought I did!
Please note: I do know how to use apostrophes properly, though.
Please note: I do know how to use apostrophes properly, though.
You may have an abridged version, because when I was at school the OED was the standard and this convention was the way we all learnt it from the Oxford Dictionary.
With regard to apostrophes, I use them to form the genitive and in contractions, however I still use single quotes aka ‘inverted commas’ to denote material in direct quotations in the original and British way. (Only the opening mark is actually and inverted comma, the closing mark is an angled apostrophe: e.g. He shouted ‘Stop’ as the train pulled away.
Rather than my continuing, why don't you see Wiki in regard to that and other forms of British punctuation, such as the full stop outside of quoted material, unless the punctuation is important to its meaning, for instance as with an interrogation point.
In addition, there is our use of the full stop with abbreviations, which follow the rules of most other European nations, but not America. (Example: Dr stands for Doctor, whereas Dr. stands for Drive, etc.)
Last edited by Christian; Aug 28th 2011 at 4:44 am.
#145
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,453
Re: A language question
Here's an odd one about British and American pronunciation.
Hover.
Plover.
I've heard Americans say "huvver" for hover. I don't know if that is common or not. Meanwhile British folks say "pluvver" for plover .. ??
Hover.
Plover.
I've heard Americans say "huvver" for hover. I don't know if that is common or not. Meanwhile British folks say "pluvver" for plover .. ??
#146
Re: A language question
We probably say it just to be contrary.
#147
Re: A language question
I can't seem to put my finger on it but .... why is this thread like -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgX6qlJEMc
or even
I wonder if the Romans ever said "Britanni hi non loquor bene".
Last edited by Tarkak9; Aug 28th 2011 at 9:25 pm.
#148
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,453
#149
Re: A language question
I rhyme hover with cover and plover with over....don't really know what pronunciation rule that's supposed to follow or why it was taught that way. . I've never heard it as "pluvver". Why is "through" pronounced "threw" and cough said as "coff" while rough is said as "ruff"? No hard and fast rules which must make it very difficult for foreigners to learn (no, not English foreigners).