Maybe one of my speech therapists went to a Catholic school and I picked it up from her. I had speech therapy from 1963 to 1968, and again for a year or so as a teenager (mainly because as a teenager I was still unable to make the 'th' sound).
Silent Letters
- Thread starter Cornholio
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Maybe one of my speech therapists went to a Catholic school and I picked it up from her. I had speech therapy from 1963 to 1968, and again for a year or so as a teenager (mainly because as a teenager I was still unable to make the 'th' sound).
Rellies? Never heard that one before.
You Aussies have a lot of colorful slang, but that habit of shortening words and tacking on a diminutive ending makes Australian speech sound rather childish to American ears.
Australians do that to many words
Relatives become rellies
Firemen become firies
Ambulance men become ambos
Cigarettes become ciggies
Relatives become rellies
Firemen become firies
Ambulance men become ambos
Cigarettes become ciggies
if you shorten words, and say them without opening your mouth too wide, the blow flies don't have a chance.....
:roflmao:
If you believe that, I have a nice Opera House for sale
And they close the Harbour Bridge at 3 pm every day to allow the kangaroos to cross.
I'm having one of those 
moments - how can you pronounce "Saw" so that it doesn't sound like "sore".
Anyway, speaking of silent letters and everything - can anyone tell me why Americans tend to pronounce "herb" as "erb", it sounds so weird to me.
moments - how can you pronounce "Saw" so that it doesn't sound like "sore".Anyway, speaking of silent letters and everything - can anyone tell me why Americans tend to pronounce "herb" as "erb", it sounds so weird to me.
I'm having one of those
Anyway, speaking of silent letters and everything - can anyone tell me why Americans tend to pronounce "herb" as "erb", it sounds so weird to me.
Something funny with the vowel sound. Closest I can come to (Linguistics/Speech pathology not being my area) "sahw"
He, he ,he... I loved being told how Aussies pronounce words beginning with "h". I've only lived here for 49 yrs.
Dropping "h" s in Aussie English is seen as laziness or a sign of poor education (unless your first language is a LOTE).
I'm having one of those
Are you serious?
How do you pronounce the word "awe," like in Awesome? Do you saw "Orsome?" Or "I'm in awe of that really awesome thing."
Just slap an S on the front.
Tautology much? If something is "awesome", then surely you are in awe of it? Otherwise, it's ordinary.I'm having one of those
Are you serious?
How do you pronounce the word "awe," like in Awesome? Do you saw "Orsome?" Or "I'm in awe of that really awesome thing."
On reflection, we pronounce it "Or-sum".
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It's called 'intrusive r' and the English use it. I'm assuming Aussies and New Zealanders too. It's to differentiate between a word ending in a vowel and the next word beginning in a vowel, thus producing the ubiquitous fictional character Laura Norder.
The Scots don't use it, preferring the equally energetic and inelegant glottal plosive, and for some misplaced logic (otherwise known as pig ignorance) sneer at intrusive r.
Depends on the dialect. In standard American English, postvocalic R is pronounced much the same way as in the West Country dialect of England.* Most Brits, as well as American Southerners and New Englanders, soften or drop the postvocalic R so that, for example, “floor” and “flaw” sound exactly the same.I'm having one of those
We call herbs “erbs” because Herb is a guy's name!
*In fact, the biggest mistake British actors usually make when they try to sound American is overdoing their R’s, so they sound more like they're from Cornwall.
Your language is crazy. 
I never said it wasn't redundant.Tautology much? If something is "awesome", then surely you are in awe of it? Otherwise, it's ordinary.I'm having one of those
Are you serious?
How do you pronounce the word "awe," like in Awesome? Do you saw "Orsome?" Or "I'm in awe of that really awesome thing."
Well, that's weird.
What about "saw" like the tool? "I am using a saw to cut this piece of wood." Do you still say "sore?"
There's a rule in linguistics that says that every letter present in the spelling of a word had to be pronounced at one point. If they're still visible today it's mainly because print fixated language.
For instance, words such as which and whale used to be written hwic and hwal. The "h" consonant was really stressed. Later, in order to facilitate pronunciation, the 'w' and 'h' switched places.
For instance, words such as which and whale used to be written hwic and hwal. The "h" consonant was really stressed. Later, in order to facilitate pronunciation, the 'w' and 'h' switched places.
I never said it wasn't redundant.Tautology much? If something is "awesome", then surely you are in awe of it? Otherwise, it's ordinary.Are you serious?
How do you pronounce the word "awe," like in Awesome? Do you saw "Orsome?" Or "I'm in awe of that really awesome thing."
Well, that's weird.
What about "saw" like the tool? "I am using a saw to cut this piece of wood." Do you still say "sore?"
Yep
Maybe I'm just an Aussie in disguise 
I still can't see how you can pronounce it any other way!
I shall have to see how little miss trampledamage says "saw" - she has a Canadian accent and already says some words in ways I can't copy.
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