 |
 | 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 / January 2010A sticky question
Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast (=AmE 'Band-Aid', I think). Any doubt as to how to say the word will probably only arise among a small subset of English speakers, but our little gathering displayed all four possible variants, ignoring the first syllable which is so short as to be negligible. For those who can't see the problem, the 'ast' combination has two possible pronunciations in British English, viz. with ā (as in 'father') or ă (as in 'lad'). Which of these to apply to the 'a's in Elastoplast is clearly a matter of personal preference. So, how do you say it? And while we're at it, how do you say 'raster'? I don't think I've ever heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both possibilities sound odd.  SignatureNoel > Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part > of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both > possibilities sound odd. Elastoplast comes out as double-short. Elastic and plastic are both short "a" for me. I accuse those who pronounce them long of being too early-twentieth-century, and out of touch with real third millennium life. -- franzi While I'm here... "Raster" tells me to follow "rafter" and "rascal" which in my speech takes the long "father" sound. If I heard it with the short "a" I would understand the abbreviation of "Rastafarian". I don't remember having heard it at all, so this is just my internalization of what I read. >> Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >> of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >early-twentieth-century, and out of touch with real third millennium >life. First "a" short as in elastic, second "a" long as in plaster, in this neck of the woods. SignatureKaty Jennison spamtrap: remove the first two letters after the @ >>> Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >>> of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >First "a" short as in elastic, second "a" long as in plaster, in this >neck of the woods. Two short "a"s, in this neck of the woods (even though "plaster" has a long(ish) "a"). I've never heard it pronounced "ee-LASTO-plarst". I suppose 'posh' people (those who have "barths") would pronounce it "ee-LARSTO-plarst" SignatureIan >>> Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >>> of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > First "a" short as in elastic, second "a" long as in plaster, in this > neck of the woods. Same for me down under. SignatureLong-time resident of Adelaide, South Australia, which may or may not influence my opinions. >> Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large >> part of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > early-twentieth-century, and out of touch with real third millennium > life. I'm inclined to take that as a compliment. However, for me it's Elastoplast with the first 'a' short and the second 'a' long. Nonetheless, my version of 'plastic' has a short 'a'. > While I'm here... > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > having heard it at all, so this is just my internalization of what I > read. My 'raster' has a short 'a', though I don't remember ever saying it or hearing it. SignatureLes (BrE) Leslie Danks wrote, in <4b3e61e7$0$1548$91cee783@newsreader04.highway.telekom.at> on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:06:31 +0100: > > Elastoplast comes out as double-short. Elastic and plastic are both > > short "a" for me. I accuse those who pronounce them long of being too [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Elastoplast with the first 'a' short and the second 'a' long. > Nonetheless, my version of 'plastic' has a short 'a'. Yes, the 'plast' is derived from 'plaster' not 'plastic'. SignatureNick Spalding BrE/IrE > Leslie Danks wrote, in > <4b3e61e7$0$1548$91cee783@newsreader04.highway.telekom.at> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Yes, the 'plast' is derived from 'plaster' not 'plastic'. Ah, so that throws a N/S divide issue in, as "plaster" seems to be in the "bath" and "path" set. Certainly the short-'a' "bath" person in the house has two short-'a's in it, and the long-'a' person has short/long. So we've got a logical pattern for the latter one. SignatureOnline waterways route planner | http://canalplan.eu Plan trips, see photos, check facilities | http://canalplan.org.uk > Leslie Danks wrote, in > <4b3e61e7$0$1548$91cee783@newsreader04.highway.telekom.at> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Yes, the 'plast' is derived from 'plaster' not 'plastic'. Now I'm confused as to which "a" we were talking about. I assumed the first one (short for me), but if the final one, which I agree is from "plaster", then I vote for long. SignatureRob Bannister >> Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large >> part of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > early-twentieth-century, and out of touch with real third millennium > life. Same for me (AusE). [BTW: please don't put things after your sig if you expect people to reply to them. Many newsreaders chop that bit off.] > While I'm here... > "Raster" tells me to follow "rafter" and "rascal" which in my speech > takes the long "father" sound. If I heard it with the short "a" I > would understand the abbreviation of "Rastafarian". I don't remember > having heard it at all, so this is just my internalization of what I > read. 'Raster' and 'rascal' are short 'a' for me, and 'rafter' is long. Some of these short and long 'a' are variable in AusE, I think because we've inherited a mixture of southern and northern UK influences. SignatureRegards John for mail: my initials plus a u e at tpg dot com dot au >> "Raster" tells me to follow "rafter" and "rascal" which in my speech >> takes the long "father" sound. If I heard it with the short "a" I [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 'Raster' and 'rascal' are short 'a' for me, and 'rafter' is long. Rasster vs rahscal and rahfter here. > Some of these short and long 'a' are variable in AusE, I think because > we've inherited a mixture of southern and northern UK influences. Yep. >> "Raster" tells me to follow "rafter" and "rascal" which in my speech >> takes the long "father" sound. If I heard it with the short "a" I [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Some of these short and long 'a' are variable in AusE, I think because > we've inherited a mixture of southern and northern UK influences. All are short for me. Raster was a word I grew up with as my father used to repair TVs and then monitors. Raster[farian] is the same as raster (scan pattern) to me. SignatureOnline waterways route planner | http://canalplan.eu Plan trips, see photos, check facilities | http://canalplan.org.uk >And while we're at it, how do you say 'raster'? I don't think I've ever >heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both >possibilities sound odd. Those of us who use Adobe Photoshop rasterize type layers. We sometimes talk about it. SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida >Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >apply to the 'a's in Elastoplast is clearly a matter of personal >preference. So, how do you say it? I say the -plast bit with the sound of the a in "father" (or the last a in "banal") Elastoplast and Band-Aid are displayed for sale side by side in shops here, and when we put them on the shopping list we use the generic "sticking plaster". >And while we're at it, how do you say 'raster'? I don't think I've ever >heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both >possibilities sound odd. I and I say it to rhyme with the Rasta in Rastafarian. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk Ildhund filted: >Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast >(=AmE 'Band-Aid', I think). Any doubt as to how to say the word will >probably only arise among a small subset of English speakers, but our >little gathering displayed all four possible variants, ignoring the first >syllable which is so short as to be negligible. *All* four?...I'll bet the version with the first "a" long and the second short qualifies as an outlier....r SignatureA pessimist sees the glass as half empty. An optometrist asks whether you see the glass more full like this?...or like this? > Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large > part of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow > both possibilities sound odd. Short "lass" a for me. SignatureRob Bannister > Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large > part of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of > Elastoplast (=AmE 'Band-Aid', I think). Ee lass toh plahst. Lass and plahst are both given slightly more stress. Ee is almost a schwa. Any doubt as to how to say > the word will probably only arise among a small subset of English > speakers, but our little gathering displayed all four possible [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > ever heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but > somehow both possibilities sound odd. Rass ter or Rass t'. >Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part >of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both >possibilities sound odd. "British English" isn't the best term in this context - there's no distinction in Scottish English. :-) SignatureIan D Ildhund set the following eddies spiralling through the space-time continuum: > Odd the topics that crop up round the dining table. We spent a large part > of Christmas dinner for twelve discussing the pronunciation of Elastoplast [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > heard the word spoken - as is or verbed, as 'rasterize' - but somehow both > possibilities sound odd. Short a for both parts of Elastoplast and in raster (to rhyme with faster). Signatureξ:) Proud to be curly Interchange the alphabetic letter groups to reply |
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.