12-20-2004, 03:31 AM
Hi,
Since I've never heard you, I don't know how you pronounce 'color' and 'should'. However, properly speaking the combination 'ou' should be a diphthong sliding from 'o' to 'u'. That sound *does* occur in 'should' and does not occur in 'color' -- at least as they are pronunced in standard American English (go to http://www.m-w.com and check out their pronunciation guides). Thus, the American spelling makes sense for the American pronunciation (as much as it ever does in English). And, frankly, I've never heard 'color' pronounced 'cul-owrd' in any of the British films or shows I've seen. I have heard 'honour' so pronounced.
Frankly Shaw was right, both as to the idiocy of English spelling (We put a 'b' in 'debt' because Julius Ceasar -- who, by the way spoke Latin -- would do so and 'ghoti') and to the similarities of American English and English English ("Two great nations seperated by a common language").
After having watched 'The Adventure of the English Language, 500AD to 2000' on the history channel, I've come to the conclusion that there is no *proper* English. Certainly not he unintelligeble gibberish spoken in most of the English hinterlands. :)
"If it ain't BBC, it ain't for me." ;)
--Pete
Doc,Dec 19 2004, 02:12 PM Wrote:So we take the "U" out of "color" but not out of "should" eh?
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Since I've never heard you, I don't know how you pronounce 'color' and 'should'. However, properly speaking the combination 'ou' should be a diphthong sliding from 'o' to 'u'. That sound *does* occur in 'should' and does not occur in 'color' -- at least as they are pronunced in standard American English (go to http://www.m-w.com and check out their pronunciation guides). Thus, the American spelling makes sense for the American pronunciation (as much as it ever does in English). And, frankly, I've never heard 'color' pronounced 'cul-owrd' in any of the British films or shows I've seen. I have heard 'honour' so pronounced.
Frankly Shaw was right, both as to the idiocy of English spelling (We put a 'b' in 'debt' because Julius Ceasar -- who, by the way spoke Latin -- would do so and 'ghoti') and to the similarities of American English and English English ("Two great nations seperated by a common language").
After having watched 'The Adventure of the English Language, 500AD to 2000' on the history channel, I've come to the conclusion that there is no *proper* English. Certainly not he unintelligeble gibberish spoken in most of the English hinterlands. :)
"If it ain't BBC, it ain't for me." ;)
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?