Comments on: More Blunders http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders Language in a word Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:06:06 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: V Antonelli http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17516 V Antonelli Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:35:29 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17516 i guarantee that if the author of "Blunders" (does it really exist?) talks the way he recommends, he is the center of attention at dinner parties. i haven't read much of this thread, but i hope he knows what "schwa" is. could anyone think that spelling dictates pronunciation in a language like english? hopefully, i've misunderstood it all! i guarantee that if the author of “Blunders” (does it really exist?) talks the way he recommends, he is the center of attention at dinner parties. i haven’t read much of this thread, but i hope he knows what “schwa” is. could anyone think that spelling dictates pronunciation in a language like english?

hopefully, i’ve misunderstood it all!

]]> By: John Maidment http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17275 John Maidment Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:18:57 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17275 Yes, and isn't that depressing? Yes, and isn’t that depressing?

]]> By: John Cowan http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17251 John Cowan Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:00:43 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17251 Most people firmly believe that they speak in a spelling accent. Most people firmly believe that they speak in a spelling accent.

]]> By: John Maidment http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17194 John Maidment Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:05:46 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17194 To be perfectly blunt, I think the chap had cloth ears. I wonder what he would have made of "shambles" and "shambolic". Unfortunately, the second of these did not come into being until the 1950s according to OED. To be perfectly blunt, I think the chap had cloth ears. I wonder what he would have made of “shambles” and “shambolic”. Unfortunately, the second of these did not come into being until the 1950s according to OED.

]]> By: Graham http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17178 Graham Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:40:39 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17178 I don't think I'm surprised that he wants to keep <em>bridal </em>and <em>bridle</em>, for instance, separate, but since he mentions gambol/gamble, it did seem surprising that he hadn't noticed the parallel with the other pairs he did want to distinguish. The 'wrong' stressing you've heard on 'gambolling' is yet another example of the way English can fiddle with the usual stress pattern for emphasis or contrast. I don’t think I’m surprised that he wants to keep bridal and bridle, for instance, separate, but since he mentions gambol/gamble, it did seem surprising that he hadn’t noticed the parallel with the other pairs he did want to distinguish. The ‘wrong’ stressing you’ve heard on ‘gambolling’ is yet another example of the way English can fiddle with the usual stress pattern for emphasis or contrast.

]]> By: Jack Windsor Lewis http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/more-blunders/comment-page-1#comment-17171 Jack Windsor Lewis Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:33:32 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=528#comment-17171 Graham! I'm mildly surprised that you seem to be surprised at the naïve blunders being made by the guy who wants to point out other folks' blunders. But your mention of 'gambol' reminds me that I know of people who are at such pains to keep 'gamble' and 'gambol' distinct that they use a form 'gam`bōlling' with even the stress moved onto the offending syllable. I wonder if you or any of your readers have come across this development. I find it inconceivable that there shd be any genuine possibility of confusion regarding bridal/bridle or medal/meddle so I completely deplore any monkeying about with their pronunciations. Graham! I’m mildly surprised that you seem to be surprised at the naïve blunders being made by the guy who wants to point out other folks’ blunders. But your mention of ‘gambol’ reminds me that I know of people who are at such pains to keep ‘gamble’ and ‘gambol’ distinct that they use a form ‘gam`bōlling’ with even the stress moved onto the offending syllable. I wonder if you or any of your readers have come across this development.
I find it inconceivable that there shd be any genuine possibility of confusion regarding bridal/bridle or medal/meddle so I completely deplore any monkeying about with their pronunciations.

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