Grammar Girl Podcast - Might explain weird customer pronouciation of words

[It's me]

Grammar Girl podcast on how us Canuks really pronounce certain words... what I found really interesting is her explanation at the end of the podcast on why people think we pronounce "about" as "aboot" etc. when in fact we really don't. I am thinking it also explains the weird ways customers sometimes pronounce words when asking for stuff.


http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/edu...ronounce-about

[Kit-Ginevra]

Might it have something to do with the fact that you call it 'pronouciation' in your country

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Might it have something to do with the fact that you call it 'pronouciation' in your country

I assume you meant 'pronounciation', in which case, what do people in other countries call it?

[Kit-Ginevra]

Nope...I was referring to what she called it in the title :P

[NecessaryCatharsis]

I'm following now, how about we blame that on cat/distraction?

[ComputerNecromancer]

I assume you meant 'pronounciation', in which case, what do people in other countries call it?

pro-nun-see-a-shun

[Aethian]

You know this reminds me of the time my Yooper accent was really heavy and some guy thought I was saying terrorist when I was saying tourist.

[It's me]

pro-nun-see-a-shun

Heh. I've been spoiled by autocorrect on my phone!

[wolfie]

Grammar Girl podcast on how us Canuks really pronounce certain words... what I found really interesting is her explanation at the end of the podcast on why people think we pronounce "about" as "aboot" etc. when in fact we really don't.

Probably the same reason Americans pronounce "floor" as "flaw". Hey, what do you mean people in Brooklyn, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Georgia, and Texas all have different pronunciations?

[Aethian]

I Love you right now Wolfie.

[MoonCat]

Yeah, well, you didn't hear the TV announcer on a commercial here once say "Out and about in a boat." It came out more like "oat and aboat in a boot."

I'm sure it depends on the part of Canada the person is from. We get commercials from Eastern Canada (Toronto, Hamilton, etc) here.

[wolfie]

Hey! Toronto isn't in Eastern Canada - we're in Central Canada (Eastern Canada would cover the Maritimes and Newfoundland). Of course, when the Globe and Mail wants to find out how people in Eastern and Western Canada feel about a certain issue, they send reporters to Pickering and Mississauga.

[LillFilly]

I just saw a picture of a receipt where the customer wrote that they reduced the tip they gave the waitress because 'you don't correct a customer's grammar, even if you happen to be right!' The waitress explained that the customer ordered the salmon but pronounced it just like that - 'sal-mon.' The waitress simply confirmed the order back but used the correct pronunciation. So now we have to humor idiots so their feelings don't get hurt!?!

[EricKei]

I had never actually heard the term "accent tag" before this. Neat.

'you don't correct a customer's grammar, even if you happen to be right!'

I'd like to send a message to that customer: "Not grammar. Pronounciation." Hardly a correction, just an expression of different ways of saying it.

Probably the same reason Americans pronounce "floor" as "flaw".

OK, color me intrigued. Where do people actually say it as "flaw"...?

[Aethian]

Down south, the new roommate and ex-friend of mine says it that way when he's upset. From Louisiana.