Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

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sanjuanmtneer
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by sanjuanmtneer »

It cracks me up when people say Rio Grand (not Grand'ae') because they're mixing two languages, Spanish and English in the name of a geographical feature.
Wouldn't it be either Grand River or Rio Grande?
Would it make sense to say Grande River? Also a mixture of two languages?
When you order a big taco is it a Taco Grand or a Taco Grande?

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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by DaveLanders »

sanjuanmtneer wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:29 pm It cracks me up when people say Rio Grand (not Grand'ae') because they're mixing two languages, Spanish and English in the name of a geographical feature.
Wouldn't it be either Grand River or Rio Grande?
Would it make sense to say Grande River? Also a mixture of two languages?
When you order a big taco is it a Taco Grand or a Taco Grande?

Colorado was Spanish territory much longer than it has been U.S.
Then there's the people who talk about the Rio Grande River
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by RETEP 1 »

DaveLanders wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:59 pm
sanjuanmtneer wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:29 pm It cracks me up when people say Rio Grand (not Grand'ae') because they're mixing two languages, Spanish and English in the name of a geographical feature.
Wouldn't it be either Grand River or Rio Grande?
Would it make sense to say Grande River? Also a mixture of two languages?
When you order a big taco is it a Taco Grand or a Taco Grande?

Colorado was Spanish territory much longer than it has been U.S.
Then there's the people who talk about the Rio Grande River
I grew up in Northern New Mexico. This is just a suggestion. From my experience, at least in New Mexico, don’t correct the natives on how they pronounce things and if they correct you, just go ahead and oblige.
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by greenonion »

RETEP 1 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:20 pm
DaveLanders wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:59 pm
sanjuanmtneer wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:29 pm It cracks me up when people say Rio Grand (not Grand'ae') because they're mixing two languages, Spanish and English in the name of a geographical feature.
Wouldn't it be either Grand River or Rio Grande?
Would it make sense to say Grande River? Also a mixture of two languages?
When you order a big taco is it a Taco Grand or a Taco Grande?

Colorado was Spanish territory much longer than it has been U.S.
Then there's the people who talk about the Rio Grande River
I grew up in Northern New Mexico. This is just a suggestion. From my experience, at least in New Mexico, don’t correct the natives on how they pronounce things and if they correct you, just go ahead and oblige.
Bingo. You get stuff, obviously.
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by nyker »

I usually try and pronounce things in local language if possible, but not always possible without butchering a word. Scandinavian and Asian languages/countries make it a little tougher...
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by timisimaginary »

i just ask myself, "how would Alex Trebek say it?"
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by mtree »

And then there's Table Mesa...
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by ker0uac »

If it's something that was named by the native speakers, then I'll say it in their language and will look down on people who do otherwise bc I can't pass on an opportunity to call someone racist. But if it's Sbux's menu, then hell no, give me a f***ing large cup of coffee. I find native american names the hardest to pronounce. There's a beach in RI called Quonochontaug. Funny, they massacred them but out of respect kept the original names of their lands.
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by timisimaginary »

shelly+ wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:11 am Now if we could just pronounce couloir and glissade properly!
there are so many french or french-derived words in mountaineering, since modern mountaineering began in the alps with French and Swiss climbers. then the British came and just imported all those french terms into the english language, but anglicized the pronunciation, because no self-respecting Brit would ever want to sound like the French. now when we Americans use those terms, we have to pronounce them our own way, because no self-respecting 'merican wants to sound like a Brit.

i still don't know what the "correct" pronunciation of crevasse is... kruh-VASS or kruh-VAHS. i've heard it pronounced both ways about an equal number of times. col drives me nuts... i usually hear it said KOLE, but the french pronunciation is closer to KAWL. all i do know is, when Americans try to say words with a French accent, they usually just end up sounding like Cajun Man. especially if you're talking about pitons and crampons.
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disentangled
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by disentangled »

timisimaginary wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:35 am
shelly+ wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:11 am Now if we could just pronounce couloir and glissade properly!
there are so many french or french-derived words in mountaineering, since modern mountaineering began in the alps with French and Swiss climbers. then the British came and just imported all those french terms into the english language, but anglicized the pronunciation, because no self-respecting Brit would ever want to sound like the French. now when we Americans use those terms, we have to pronounce them our own way, because no self-respecting 'merican wants to sound like a Brit.

i still don't know what the "correct" pronunciation of crevasse is... kruh-VASS or kruh-VAHS. i've heard it pronounced both ways about an equal number of times. col drives me nuts... i usually hear it said KOLE, but the french pronunciation is closer to KAWL. all i do know is, when Americans try to say words with a French accent, they usually just end up sounding like Cajun Man. especially if you're talking about pitons and crampons.
lol it doesn't really matter how one says the things one says, after all. the objective of language is to express an idea, and language is lousy at doing that precisely.... pronunciation simply makes it lively.
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by greenonion »

shelly+ wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:42 am
timisimaginary wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:35 am
shelly+ wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:11 am Now if we could just pronounce couloir and glissade properly!
there are so many french or french-derived words in mountaineering, since modern mountaineering began in the alps with French and Swiss climbers. then the British came and just imported all those french terms into the english language, but anglicized the pronunciation, because no self-respecting Brit would ever want to sound like the French. now when we Americans use those terms, we have to pronounce them our own way, because no self-respecting 'merican wants to sound like a Brit.

i still don't know what the "correct" pronunciation of crevasse is... kruh-VASS or kruh-VAHS. i've heard it pronounced both ways about an equal number of times. col drives me nuts... i usually hear it said KOLE, but the french pronunciation is closer to KAWL. all i do know is, when Americans try to say words with a French accent, they usually just end up sounding like Cajun Man. especially if you're talking about pitons and crampons.
lol it doesn't really matter how one says the things one says, after all. the objective of language is to express an idea, and language is lousy at doing that precisely.... pronunciation simply makes it lively.
But how does one pronounce lol in French, English, and Merican?
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Re: Pronunciation, local or 'Merican?

Post by mtree »

timisimaginary wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:35 am
i still don't know what the "correct" pronunciation of crevasse is... kruh-VASS or kruh-VAHS. i've heard it pronounced both ways about an equal number of times. col drives me nuts...
That's an easy one. In 'Merican...

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