Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

Pyxis

zagubov wrote: »

Much like there's one scampo, but as that wouldn't really be enough you never see it. "Scampo and chip" sounds like the most underwhelming meal ever.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

A bit like having a spaghetto! :rotfl:

Although a panino would be quite substantial.




Just a thought; as omelette looks like a diminuative, is there such a thing as an omele?

Edit.....see later post.

michaels

How about An hour?

Pyxis

michaels wrote: »

How about An hour?

That's a good one! We've never started to pronounce the 'h' in that one!
Interesting!


Or honour, or honesty.
All derived from French.

Intriguing that 'an honour' is totally accepted, but 'an hotel' isn't.

Edit.... hotel came into use much later....in the 18C as opposed to Middle English for the others, so that might be why.
Plus hotel comes from the same origin as hostel and hospital, where the 'h' is pronounced, so that could be why.

Pyxis

This is interesting.....Omelette has nothing to do with a diminutive; it derives from a word meaning a flat blade...........and just happened to end up looking like a diminutive.

Pyxis

Memo to self.......

Must stop etymologically rambling.

LydiaJ

Masomnia wrote: »

2nd Interview confirmed for Monday!

Well done and good luck!

zagubov wrote: »

Much like there's one scampo, but as that wouldn't really be enough you never see it. "Scampo and chip" sounds like the most underwhelming meal ever.

I've heard people in the US talk about "an herb".

That's because in US English the H in "herb" is silent - no idea why. If I pronounced it like they do ("erb"), I'd use "an" too. However, since I sound the H, I use "a". I say "a hotel" too, but obviously "an (h)onour".

The word that amuses me when Americans don't pronounce the initial H is "huge" - which most of them seem to pronounce "yuge".

Pyxis wrote: »

Memo to self.......

Must stop etymologically rambling.

Why????
Here on the NPT you can ramble about anything, as long as it's not "not nice".

Pyxis

Memo to self........

Permission to recommence etymological rambling received.






The strange thing about the American 'erb' is that the French is spelt herbe, so you'd think that if it were spelled the French way, it would explain the silent h in American usage. But it isn't; they spell it 'herb'.



Edit.........got it! Apparently, it was pronounced with a silent h in English until the 19C, so, like so many other things, the American version is the the original English version!
Those pesky Georgian and Victorian grammarians and lexicographers at it again!

Jazee

Afternoon all.

I don't just think its difference in pronunciation from country to country. In the UK our accents mean we say the same words differently, and after a decade oop north, I'm still learning new words as they almost have a different language to what a common southerner/Londoner is used to.

Hope I haven't offended anyone.

silvercar

Jazee wrote: »

Afternoon all.

I don't just think its difference in pronunciation from country to country. In the UK our accents mean we say the same words differently, and after a decade oop north, I'm still learning new words as they almost have a different language to what a common southerner/Londoner is used to.

Hope I haven't offended anyone.

When my kids were babies they used to translate between me and OH (Mancunain). Particular favourite was "dooks in the bath"

Pyxis

silvercar wrote: »

When my kids were babies they used to translate between me and OH (Mancunain). Particular favourite was "dooks in the bath"

My education in accents began with Coronation Street which I started watching as a child. Not just the accent, but different words too, like barm cake and mithering, and loads of others.

I suppose Eastenders possibly had the reverse effect?

Jazee wrote: »

Afternoon all.

I don't just think its difference in pronunciation from country to country. In the UK our accents mean we say the same words differently, and after a decade oop north, I'm still learning new words as they almost have a different language to what a common southerner/Londoner is used to.

Hope I haven't offended anyone.

Humph! Common, are we?






Mind you, parts of the South have strange lingo too! Ask Fruity about Wurzellish.