Should she have won?

Miss Chicken · December 24 2012, 11:26 PM

A contestant on Wheel of Fortune has lost because of her pronunciation of a word.

As I have a hearing problem I cannot tell if her pronunciation of 'swimming' in so incorrect as to deny her. To me it sounds right but other may hear it differently. Or it might be because I am an Australian.

OdoWanKenobi · December 24 2012, 11:38 PM

Yeah, she was robbed. In many American dialects the "g" at the end of a word is almost never pronounced.

YellowSubmarine · December 24 2012, 11:54 PM

Meh, I'm pretty sure that my English teacher, who was always complaining that we were loaning English incorrectly, would suggest that -ing should be transformed into -in instead using a fully audible "g" or "k", because that's way closer to the way it sounds. I can barely tell -ing and -in apart. For me, there's no difference.

But good thing she did not know there was a "g" at the end of the word, so that they might have a ground to stand on... Oh, wait.

MacLeod · December 24 2012, 11:57 PM

I would say she misses off the 'g'. I'm into two minds over it, yes strictly speaking she mispronunced the word, whilst it might be true that certain dialects in America don't pronunce the 'g'. Unless the dictionary says pronuncing it without the 'g' is acceptable she was technically incorrect in her solution. But it seems a bit harsh and perhaps some lee-way should be given.

MacLeod · December 25 2012, 12:00 AM

YellowSubmarine wrote:

Meh, I'm pretty sure that my English teacher, who was always complaining that we were loaning English incorrectly, would suggest that -ing should be transformed into -in instead using a fully audible "g" or "k", because that's way closer to the way it sounds. I can barely tell -ing and -in apart. For me, there's no difference.

But good thing she did not know there was a "g" at the end of the word, so that they might have a ground to stand on... Oh, wait.

I think perhaps the difference between words ending in 'in' as opposed to 'ing' is the length of the 'i', in words ending 'ing' the 'i' sound is longer.

Locutus of Bored · December 25 2012, 12:22 AM

She was robbed. Clearly she knew there was a "g" at the end of the word, and if they don't take different regional accents and pronunciations into account (which I find hard to believe given the wide variety of accents I've heard on the show over the years when I've occasionally tuned in) they should have given her a chance to repeat the phrase in full before moving on to the next contestant.

The saddest thing about all of this is that poor Odo_Ital will never be able to win at Wheel of Fortune.

Data Holmes · December 25 2012, 12:30 AM

No. She should not have won.

Gryffindorian · December 25 2012, 12:47 AM

I speak English as a second language, but even I know there's a difference between swimming and swimmin'. Reneé didn't pronounce it correctly, so she lost.

Locutus of Bored · December 25 2012, 01:15 AM

^ It's clear that she was fully aware of the difference between the two and knew there was a "g" at the end. Either she was being folksy and leaving off the g on purpose, or that's how she typically pronounces it. Either way, I think she should have been given another chance to say it.

What are the rules about pronunciation on Wheel? I know on Jeopardy they give you a chance to restate the question if you mispronounce something the first time. Do they not allow that on Wheel?

Gryffindorian · December 25 2012, 03:04 AM

True. I hardly ever watch Wheel anymore, but the producers/judges (?) are usually quite rigid when it comes pronunciations. In a lot of cases, though, the contestant simply guesses the wrong word, for instance, "Satellite Disc" instead of saying "Satellite Dish."

SmoothieX · December 25 2012, 02:15 PM

NightmareB4Holmes wrote:

No. She should not have won.

I agree. You are on a wordplay game show, enunciate and speak clearly.

Gryff Gryngle wrote:

True. I hardly ever watch Wheel anymore, but the producers/judges (?) are usually quite rigid when it comes pronunciations. In a lot of cases, though, the contestant simply guesses the wrong word, for instance, "Satellite Disc" instead of saying "Satellite Dish."

They have to set a neutral standard somewhere. You have people from all over the country and world on that show. While you can't fault someone for a regional dialect, you can certainly fault them for not saying the whole word.

MacLeod · December 25 2012, 07:56 PM

^The easiest and fairest standard would be pronuncitations listed in the dictionary.

JarodRussell · December 25 2012, 08:19 PM

I want to see something like that with the word 'Worcestershire'.

Ethros · December 25 2012, 08:35 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mDTLphIVY

Gil T.Azell · December 25 2012, 09:31 PM

Ethros wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mDTLphIVY

^

She lost fair and square, I'm sure she read the rules.

December 24 2012, 11:26 PM	#1
Miss Chicken Little three legged cat with attitude Location: Howrah, Hobart, Tasmania	Should she have won? A contestant on Wheel of Fortune has lost because of her pronunciation of a word. As I have a hearing problem I cannot tell if her pronunciation of 'swimming' in so incorrect as to deny her. To me it sounds right but other may hear it differently. Or it might be because I am an Australian. __________________ Big Brother, the people are watching YOU Last edited by Miss Chicken; December 24 2012 at 11:47 PM.

December 24 2012, 11:38 PM	#2
OdoWanKenobi Entity of Fear Location: Korugar	Re: Should she had won? Yeah, she was robbed. In many American dialects the "g" at the end of a word is almost never pronounced. __________________ "In blackest day, in brightest night, beware your fears made into light. Let those who try to stop what's right, burn like my power: Sinestro's might!"

December 24 2012, 11:54 PM	#3
YellowSubmarine Commodore	Re: Should she had won? Meh, I'm pretty sure that my English teacher, who was always complaining that we were loaning English incorrectly, would suggest that -ing should be transformed into -in instead using a fully audible "g" or "k", because that's way closer to the way it sounds. I can barely tell -ing and -in apart. For me, there's no difference. But good thing she did not know there was a "g" at the end of the word, so that they might have a ground to stand on... Oh, wait. __________________ R.I.P. Admiral James T. Kirk (2233-2267, 1969, 2267, 1930, 2267-2268, 1968, 2268-2269, Serpeidon Middle Ages, 2269, 2237, 2269-2286, 1986, 2286-2293, 2371)

December 24 2012, 11:57 PM	#4
MacLeod Vice Admiral Location: Great Britain	Re: Should she had won? I would say she misses off the 'g'. I'm into two minds over it, yes strictly speaking she mispronunced the word, whilst it might be true that certain dialects in America don't pronunce the 'g'. Unless the dictionary says pronuncing it without the 'g' is acceptable she was technically incorrect in her solution. But it seems a bit harsh and perhaps some lee-way should be given. __________________ On the continent of wild endeavour in the mountains of solace and solitude there stood the citadel of the time lords, the oldest and most mighty race in the universe looking down on the galaxies below sworn never to interfere only to watch.

December 25 2012, 12:22 AM	#6
Locutus of Bored The Old Mods and the New Location: Huntington Beach, CA	Re: Should she had won? She was robbed. Clearly she knew there was a "g" at the end of the word, and if they don't take different regional accents and pronunciations into account (which I find hard to believe given the wide variety of accents I've heard on the show over the years when I've occasionally tuned in) they should have given her a chance to repeat the phrase in full before moving on to the next contestant. The saddest thing about all of this is that poor Odo_Ital will never be able to win at Wheel of Fortune. __________________ "The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

December 25 2012, 12:30 AM	#7
Data Holmes Admiral Location: Elitist Social Darwinist	Re: Should she had won? No. She should not have won. __________________ Only solitary men know the full joys of friendship. Others have their family; but to a solitary and an exile his friends are everything. -Willa Cather SHADOWS ON THE ROCK

December 25 2012, 12:47 AM	#8
Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Location: Hogwarts	Re: Should she had won? I speak English as a second language, but even I know there's a difference between swimming and swimmin'. Reneé didn't pronounce it correctly, so she lost. __________________ "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." --Bilbo Baggins, LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring

December 25 2012, 01:15 AM	#9
Locutus of Bored The Old Mods and the New Location: Huntington Beach, CA	Re: Should she had won? ^ It's clear that she was fully aware of the difference between the two and knew there was a "g" at the end. Either she was being folksy and leaving off the g on purpose, or that's how she typically pronounces it. Either way, I think she should have been given another chance to say it. What are the rules about pronunciation on Wheel? I know on Jeopardy they give you a chance to restate the question if you mispronounce something the first time. Do they not allow that on Wheel? __________________ "The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

December 25 2012, 03:04 AM	#10
Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Location: Hogwarts	Re: Should she had won? True. I hardly ever watch Wheel anymore, but the producers/judges (?) are usually quite rigid when it comes pronunciations. In a lot of cases, though, the contestant simply guesses the wrong word, for instance, "Satellite Disc" instead of saying "Satellite Dish." __________________ "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." --Bilbo Baggins, LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring

December 25 2012, 07:56 PM	#12
MacLeod Vice Admiral Location: Great Britain	Re: Should she had won? ^The easiest and fairest standard would be pronuncitations listed in the dictionary. __________________ On the continent of wild endeavour in the mountains of solace and solitude there stood the citadel of the time lords, the oldest and most mighty race in the universe looking down on the galaxies below sworn never to interfere only to watch.

December 25 2012, 08:19 PM	#13
JarodRussell Vice Admiral	Re: Should she had won? I want to see something like that with the word 'Worcestershire'. __________________ lol l /\

December 25 2012, 08:35 PM	#14
Ethros Vice Admiral Location: 1123 6536 5321	Re: Should she had won? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mDTLphIVY