sra@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) (11/11/85)
In article <256@ptsfb.UUCP> rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) writes: >An example of metathesis that occured that is considered acceptable but >is still not reflected in the spelling is the word 'comfortable' >pronounced as 'comfterble'. What about 'Wednesday'? Someone (from Britain, natch) intimated recently that some people still pronounce the first 'd'. -- Scott Anderson ihnp4!oddjob!kaos!sra
rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) (11/12/85)
In article <1047@oddjob.UUCP> sra@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) writes: >In article <256@ptsfb.UUCP> rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) writes: >>An example of metathesis that occured that is considered acceptable but >>is still not reflected in the spelling is the word 'comfortable' >>pronounced as 'comfterble'. > >What about 'Wednesday'? Someone (from Britain, natch) intimated recently >that some people still pronounce the first 'd'. I suppose what you're asking is this: since "Wednesday" is pronounced "Wendsday", is there not metathesis of the "n" and "d". I suspect not. What I believe happened (just an educated guess) is that the "d" got dropped due to assimilation to the "n", leaving "Wensday". The "d"-like sound you hear between the "n" and "s" (actually a "z" sound), is really a always thrown in by the tongue in normal speech between "n" and "z" as is a "t"-like sound between "n" and "s". This is why, for example, "sense" and "cents" sound identical, except in hyper-careful speech.
gdmr@cstvax.UUCP (George D M Ross) (11/18/85)
In article <257@ptsfb.UUCP> rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) writes: >In article <1047@oddjob.UUCP> sra@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) writes: >>In article <256@ptsfb.UUCP> rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) writes: >I suppose what you're asking is this: since "Wednesday" is pronounced >"Wendsday", is there not metathesis of the "n" and "d". It is? I've just conducted a quick straw poll and found that everybody pronounced it "Wedensday", rather closer to the derivation "Woden's day". >.... This is why, for example, >"sense" and "cents" sound identical, except in hyper-careful speech. Hmmm. I really don't think that everybody around here speaks hyper-carefully. Anyway, please don't assume that your local accent/dialect/whatever is universal (all the people I asked are native Scots speakers, of one variety or another). Yes, I am interested in your point of view, but it would be more useful if you could indicate its applicability.... -- George D M Ross, Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of Edinburgh Phone: +44 31-667 1081 x2730 UUCP: <UK>!ukc!cstvax!gdmr JANET: gdmr@UK.AC.ed.cstvax