Weird things people do with the English language
Discussion
I'm currently watching a training webinar being delivered by a very competent, eloquent, clear-spoken Irishman.
He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
Because native speakers don’t all have the same accent?
Do you think your accent is “the correct” English accent? Don’t you think that the Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis or other Brits whose accent differs to yours might think otherwise?
Hardly confined to English either. Put someone from Hamburg in the same room as someone from Bayern or Austria (countryside rather than Wien) and see whether their German sounds the same and whether they understand each other perfectly.
Do you think your accent is “the correct” English accent? Don’t you think that the Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis or other Brits whose accent differs to yours might think otherwise?
Hardly confined to English either. Put someone from Hamburg in the same room as someone from Bayern or Austria (countryside rather than Wien) and see whether their German sounds the same and whether they understand each other perfectly.
Kermit power said:
I'm currently watching a training webinar being delivered by a very competent, eloquent, clear-spoken Irishman.
He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
An Irishman you say? Have you seen their names?He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
Kermit power said:
I'm currently watching a training webinar being delivered by a very competent, eloquent, clear-spoken Irishman.
He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
I once worked with an Irishman who did the same with the pronunciation of column. I wonder if it's the same one?He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
There really isn't a "correct" way to speak a language, or rather there's lots of correct ways. Different dialects have always had very different pronunciations, vocabularies and even different grammar and dialects have always evolved, constantly converging and diverging based on various social pressures.
I think the "global media age" has put us in a period of convergence at the moment, specifically convergence on English as spoken in the northern coastal regions of the USA (which obviously aren't all the same, so ultimately the convergence is towards a hybrid), but I'm sure something will change and push us in a new direction before the entire English speaking world converges on one dialect.
I think the "global media age" has put us in a period of convergence at the moment, specifically convergence on English as spoken in the northern coastal regions of the USA (which obviously aren't all the same, so ultimately the convergence is towards a hybrid), but I'm sure something will change and push us in a new direction before the entire English speaking world converges on one dialect.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 24th October 13:22
Kermit power said:
I'm currently watching a training webinar being delivered by a very competent, eloquent, clear-spoken Irishman.
He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
Not an unusual pronunciation for certain Irish accents. My granny used to say it - although nobody else in the family did.He's really easy to follow, and all seems perfectly normal, up to the point where he has to say the word "column", which he has now reported on multiple occasions as "colyume"!
It's clearly understandable when you also see the column on the screen, but I'm pretty sure that without the visual, most people would immediately wonder what a "colyume" was!
I understand non native speakers doing this, especially if it ressembles the pronunciation of their mother tongue, but how do native speakers get there???
In this instance, I would also assume that the guy would've delivered a number of roleplays in training before being let loose on customers, so how come nobody picked it up then?
Mastodon2 said:
People from Yorkshire replacing 'th' sounds with 'f's. I fink Kief is a bit fick etc.
Welsh people and the word 'heard', which come out as 'heared'.
'I heared you were going to the pub for pint of Llangollen'
Interesting that you think the th/f arrangement is from Yorkshire. I alway associate it with London and its environs. An offshoot of Multicultural London English - so common now that the BBC employs commentators and pundits without question who seemingly can only speak this way.Welsh people and the word 'heard', which come out as 'heared'.
'I heared you were going to the pub for pint of Llangollen'
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