How proficient are you at english? (native speakers welcome!)

Started by viper37, August 23, 2020, 03:10:34 PM

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Syt

Where did I go wrong? I didn't indicate that PO was an open o (more like a short "paw"), but that's it :unsure:

I agree that the English pronunciation of Greek/Roman names often throws me off, the German way is "pronounce what you see". :D
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Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Grey Fox

I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Duque de Bragança

#17
Quote from: Syt on August 24, 2020, 06:04:27 AM
Where did I go wrong? I didn't indicate that PO was an open o (more like a short "paw"), but that's it :unsure:

I agree that the English pronunciation of Greek/Roman names often throws me off, the German way is "pronounce what you see". :D

the -mi-nee part is ambiguous (I vs ee as i:/ or short )

Even German is not so clear, given the choice to pronounce y as ü or i (ee).  :P
Problem started in Ancient Greek, its evolution and its romanisations cf. oi/oe giving way to ö in German (now in French as well :() or e (eh).
Lots of H in Greek were silent (those with a soft breathing) I don't think German keeps the distinction.

Sheilbh

Quote from: Syt on August 24, 2020, 05:15:09 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on August 23, 2020, 03:20:54 PM
I don't know how to pronounce Melpomene.  There could be more.

Rule of thumb for Greek names IIRC: emphasis on third-last syllable (PO), and no silent syllables, with the last one long-ish, so the common English pronounciation would be something like Mel-PO-mi-nee
Yeah when I tried to say it that's what I went for naturally. And mi as a short i - like igloo - not mee. A bit like Gethsemene, but not like ecumenical (-meh-).

QuoteWhile I agree there is a bit of a hierarchy of pronunciations that using language such as 'correct' suggests, I think there are still something things that can widely be considered incorrect.
Agreed. I don't really think there's a "right" way to say things, I think there's probably some "wrong" ways.
Let's bomb Russia!

PDH

As long as I say everything with a thick Ozark accent it all works out.
I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.
-Umberto Eco

-------
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Habbaku

Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 06:06:18 AM
I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?

DOCK-trin. Similar, but not quite the same as the French.
The medievals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop. Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers.

Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people.

-J. R. R. Tolkien

merithyn

Quote from: Habbaku on August 24, 2020, 10:50:33 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 06:06:18 AM
I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?

DOCK-trin. Similar, but not quite the same as the French.

Oh dear lord, I need to get out more.

I read GF's question as, "So, like, is there a doctrine, like the French way or something else?" meaning, is there a bible on the English language like there is the French language? I obviously did not read it as intended, which was "Is the word doctrine pronounced in English like it is in French, or is there another way to say it?"

:blush:
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

Sheilbh

Quote from: Habbaku on August 24, 2020, 10:50:33 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 06:06:18 AM
I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?

DOCK-trin. Similar, but not quite the same as the French.
And yet, dock-trine-al :lol:

I really feel for anyone choosing to learn English :(
Let's bomb Russia!

merithyn

Quote from: Sheilbh on August 24, 2020, 11:01:59 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on August 24, 2020, 10:50:33 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 06:06:18 AM
I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?

DOCK-trin. Similar, but not quite the same as the French.
And yet, dock-trine-al :lol:

I really feel for anyone choosing to learn English :(

Yeah, we can probably blame the Brits for why it's Common Language of the world right now, but it's probably one of the hardest for non-native speakers to learn. Poor planning and all that. :P
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

Maximus

Quote from: Sheilbh on August 24, 2020, 11:01:59 AM
And yet, dock-trine-al :lol:

I really feel for anyone choosing to learn English :(
I've always heard it pronounced DOCK-trin-al.

Grey Fox

Quote from: Habbaku on August 24, 2020, 10:50:33 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 06:06:18 AM
I don't know how english pronounces some of the words. Like doctrine, is it the french way or something else?

DOCK-trin. Similar, but not quite the same as the French.

Ending like latrine? The I sound is the one I am unsure of here.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Sheilbh

Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 12:20:10 PM
Ending like latrine? The I sound is the one I am unsure of here.
No. Latrine is more like la-treen. Doctrine is doc-trin (short i, not long e).
Let's bomb Russia!

The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Grey Fox

Quote from: Sheilbh on August 24, 2020, 12:22:39 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 12:20:10 PM
Ending like latrine? The I sound is the one I am unsure of here.
No. Latrine is more like la-treen. Doctrine is doc-trin (short i, not long e).

Thank you.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Josquius

Quote from: Sheilbh on August 24, 2020, 12:22:39 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on August 24, 2020, 12:20:10 PM
Ending like latrine? The I sound is the one I am unsure of here.
No. Latrine is more like la-treen. Doctrine is doc-trin (short i, not long e).

I've heard from both.
Is it not a case like schedule?
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