Pronunciation

I think items that are new to us are pronounced as we first hear of them, or read of them.

Turmeric is a spice that was not commonly used or available growing up, so if we first heard about it on a cooking show, we would pronounce it the way the host would have. If we had just read about it in a recipe, we would most likely sound it out phonetically and use that version. I'm not bothered by mispronunciations for the most part, most likely because I am guilty of saying it incorrectly!

I have heard tu-mr-ic, tu-*mare*-ic, and tur-mr-ic

My parents said turmyrhhic so I do. I've never looked it up.

We were given a kefir "plant" in the 1970s by someone who called it keffirh I think everyone is calling it ke- fir now.

We've just bought a new (secondhand) car. It's a Hyundai Tucson.

I know very well that there is a US town, Tucson in Arizona, which is pronounced tooson. Brits seem to call the Hyundai a 'tuckson"

I'm a bit confused as to what to call it 🤔

(Perhaps I should ask Hyundai)

tooson I think.
We have friends near there- it will forever be Tooson to me...
Hyundai, however, is a different thing!

My nails on the blackboard word is 'vulnerable'. You know - from the Latin vulnus - a wound. Why has it become general to pronounce it 'vunerable'? Looking at you BBC.
And it's choritho. And turmeric.
Grade One pedant with many decades of nit-picking experience here...

There are quite a few words in English that contain a silent l. Sounding l on the palette is very close to n. I expect that's why it sounds like vunerable sometimes.

Vulnus is easy to say though. I reckon because the second syllable is as 'solid' as the first whereas in vulnerable the second syllable is squashed.

Chorizo is chorizo in English (and a good deal of Spanish) just as, for example Paris is Paris in English rather than how French speakers say it.

Chorizo in Portuguese is….. Chorizo

Actually, I’ve been pondering this while we ‘made’ the bed. The bed having been turned back this morning has been airing all day, it’s very hot and all we have to is pull the sheet up if we want to. I actually pronounce chorizo as shorirzo with a very very soft sound, the same way the ladies on the deli counter pronounce it.

Lovely article in today’s Times by Rose Wild on the beauty of avoiding pompous pedantry.

“I do know the rules and sometimes, to avoid sounding like a textbook, I think I should bend them a bit.”

Also this morning I started reading Dervla Murphy’s book, Wheels within wheels, in which her father is described as “firm in his convictions to the edge of intolerance”, which reminded me of Gransnet’s Pedants’ Corner

Glad to hear that Pedants' Corner is getting it right then, Baggs!

Baggs, I can just hear Dervla Murphy pronouncing “wheels” there

Thinking about my above comment the “ee” sound would differ too. I think my “ee” sound would be more of a ?diphthong, if that’s the right word. Anyway not a pure “e” sound.

From Manchester, and I still say "lurry" not "lorry". Some things you just can't change!

mikaru

My nails on the blackboard word is 'vulnerable'. You know - from the Latin vulnus - a wound. Why has it become general to pronounce it 'vunerable'? Looking at you BBC.
And it's choritho. And turmeric.
Grade One pedant with many decades of nit-picking experience here...

My particular bugbears are contfident, sangwidges and somethink. However I do love a regional accent. We used to have a postman who rang the door once and told me he had some male ardour for me.