Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ecsvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!mcnc!ecsvax!dgary From: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: Re: literacy Message-ID: <695@ecsvax.UUCP> Date: Tue, 5-Nov-85 10:19:32 EST Article-I.D.: ecsvax.695 Posted: Tue Nov 5 10:19:32 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 05:55:08 EST References: <747@cyb-eng.UUCP> <1900005@datacube.UUCP> <2260@iddic.UUCP> <670@stc-b.stc.UUCP> <842@terak.UUCP> Organization: Duke U Comp Ctr Lines: 29 > Though I agree on actually mispronounced words. I was taught > that the proper way to pronounce a place or name is the same > as the inhabitants or the named person (or its owners', if its > an animal,) pronounces it. > -- > Suzanne Barnett-Scott Dick Snow (rms@ecsvax) once hooked up a speech synthesizer and to test it typed the word "computer." "Kahm-POO-ter" said the box. Henceforth I have held that this machine, at least, should be called a compooter. Interesting to wonder about what constitutes "correct" pronunciation. Evidently not majority rule. Consider the adjective "consummate" (ultimate, perfect, utter), which most Americans (at least) pronounce "KAHNsummit" instead of "kahnSUMmit" as the dictionaries would have it. Back to names: My family name was (and still is, some places) pronounced to rhyme with laddy. My cousin Elizabeth Grady says the change in pronunciation took place when one of the many Grady lawyers set up practice in Wilmington, NC. The first client was a loooonnng time coming. When he finally appeared in the door, he asked, "Are you the lawyer Grady?" pronouncing the name to rhyme with lady. "Indeed I am," said my esteemed relative, and that was that. -- D Gary Grady Duke U Comp Center, Durham, NC 27706 (919) 684-3695 USENET: {seismo,decvax,ihnp4,akgua,etc.}!mcnc!ecsvax!dgary