 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / April 2008Ama-ter/Ama-chur, etc.
I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). Burchfield notes the three versions, but says the "ama-chur" and "ama-toor" versions are now (writing in 1996) minority pronunciations. I'm fairly sure I grew up with a "ch" sound as either standard or equally common. (I don't know when I settled on "ama-ter".) Is "ama- chur" (or similar) still widely used? If not, when did it become a minority pronunciation?  SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a > proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). That's how I say it (except that as I'm non-rhotic "ter" to me means t followed by a schwa, albeit a longish schwa for this particular word). > Burchfield notes the three versions, but says the "ama-chur" and > "ama-toor" versions are now (writing in 1996) minority [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > chur" (or similar) still widely used? If not, when did it become a > minority pronunciation? I can't remember hearing it with a ch, but I think I've heard it with a "toor" (both rhotically and not). Signatureathel >> I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a >> proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > I can't remember hearing it with a ch, but I think I've heard it with > a "toor" (both rhotically and not). I'm a non-rhotic "-ter" man. Yes, I have occasionally heard "-choor": it goes with trains, or even chrains and chains, being "Jew". SignatureMike. ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** >>> I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a >>> proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > "-choor": it goes with trains, or even chrains and chains, being > "Jew". Watching the Thursday Night Fights on local Los Angeles television (1950s), we often sat through several four-round "AMetter" bouts before the semi-main and main events. More often than not the ammetters were the more inspired fighters. More recently I've spoken about AM-atyers and amatYOORish behaviors. SignatureFrank ess >>> I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a >>> proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > I'm a non-rhotic "-ter" man. Yes, I have occasionally heard "-choor": it > goes with trains, or even chrains and chains, being "Jew". I have been puzzling over that last sentence, possibly because at this time of year horseradish is a preoccupation. SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) LFS filted: >> I'm a non-rhotic "-ter" man. Yes, I have occasionally heard "-choor": it >> goes with trains, or even chrains and chains, being "Jew". > >I have been puzzling over that last sentence, possibly because at this >time of year horseradish is a preoccupation. I think he means "dyew", redyewced....r SignatureWhat good is being an executive if you never get to execute anyone? > LFS filted: >>> I'm a non-rhotic "-ter" man. Yes, I have occasionally heard "-choor": it [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I think he means "dyew", redyewced....r It's the chrain that's making my eyes water... SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) >> LFS filted: >>>> I'm a non-rhotic "-ter" man. Yes, I have occasionally heard [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > It's the chrain that's making my eyes water... I may be a bit of a Herb, but, like the Murphy's, I'm not bitter. SignatureMike. ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** > I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a > proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > chur" (or similar) still widely used? If not, when did it become a > minority pronunciation? I don't know about that. "Ama-chur" seems to be the standard around here (St. Louis, MO). Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) > > I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a > > proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > I don't know about that. "Ama-chur" seems to be the standard around > here (St. Louis, MO). I would be surprised to hear any other pronunciation. SignatureSML > > I became aware today that I pronounce the "t" in "amateur" as a > > proper "t" (and the "teur" as "ter" rather than "toor"). [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > won't shut up. > -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) It's the younger set changing the usual pronunciation, and "amateur" isn't the only word losing the fricatives in favor of plosives. I've heard several words that are supposed to be pronounced /SI@m/ or /S@n/ changing to /ti@m/ and /ti@n/. Usually less common words, like "consortium." I've figured it's probably due to phonics being taught again (finally!) by teachers who do not know the method well as they were not taught it, so the pupils are sounding everything out without any knowledge that combinations of letters may represent sounds that aren't obvious from sounding out each letter individually. I see the dictionaries are now listing these new pronuncations before the pronunciations that used to be the only ones given. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.