[Ask the Gulch] (1) Why is it that Kansas and Arkansas are pronounced differently bothers me way more than it should? (2) Is the 'S' or 'C' in scent silent? (3) You can drink a drink but you can't food your food?

Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago to Ask the Gulch

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Posted by TheRealBill 2 years, 5 months ago

Don’t forget: the “k” in “monkey pox” is silent as well.

😛

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  Posted by Dobrien 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Lmao
  
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Posted by allosaur 2 years, 5 months ago

Dororthy rode a twister in Kansas to kill two witches Somewhere Over The Rainbow, but~~~
Cackles Clinton the Evil Hag slimed all over poor Arkansawwww!!! And Slick Willy helped.

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Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago

Why is 'w' called a 'Double-U' when it is clearly a Double--V?'

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  Posted by CaptainKirk 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Because u and U are both REALLY HARD to Carve into stone!
  Limitations are OFTEN the limits of the tools used.
  
  Fonts, before computers, were quite limited.
  Having more fonts was REALLY expensive.
  
  Fun fact: UPPER CASE letters. Were stored in the "upper" box, where as the small letters were stored in the LOWER box/case.
  
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    Posted by Gaybinator 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    And proportional type came about in the mid-70s, eliminating the nasty two spaces after the end of a sentence. There are those amongst us who bitterly cling to those two spaces. I strive to help them adjust.
    
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      Posted by dmshuler 2 years, 5 months ago
      
      I still use the double-space. I think the muscle memory in my fingers is too strong a force since I learned to type on old-fashioned manual typewriters back in the olden days. ;-)
      
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  Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Way way back in olden days in Latin times a V was commonly used as a U as seen on Roman buildings. Also, on some old American silver dollars you will see "IN GOD WE TRVST" instead of "IN GOD WE TRUST" to give them that olden Latin look. At least that's the story as I know it.
  
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    Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    INTERESTING.
    
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  Posted by Snezzy 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Carved into stone on the front of Building 7 of MIT are the words MASSACHVSETTS INSTITVTE OR TECHNOLOGY WILLIAM BARTON ROGERS FOVNDER. I think MIT is trying to out-do Haruard Vniuersity which is a couple of miles upstream.
  
  Stan Freberg took similar liberties with typography when he had Ben read aloud from Thomas's Declaration of Independence: "When in the courfe of human eventf... Hey, all your esses look like effs!"
  
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    Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    The "s" that looks like an "f" were referred to as a "long s". I know many of the founding documents used long and short "s", but I never figured out how the writers knew which was which. Someday, maybe. Or is that fomeday maybe?
    
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      Posted by Snezzy 2 years, 5 months ago
      
      Long s initially or in the middle of words, short s at the end. "Events" would not be spelled with a long s, but that would spoil Stan's joke.
      
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Posted by Dobrien 2 years, 5 months ago

If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?

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  Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Ok you asked for it. "The word 'queue' is just a Q followed by four silent letters." Ha!
  
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Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago

+1 for the laugh. Nope, can't food your food, but you can eat your eats.

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  Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  Oboy where did you go to school? My group would adore you. N
  
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    Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    Knowing you here in the Gulch indicates mutual adoration for your group! I expect to be in Texas in early September (Austin area) and I hope it's not too hot.
    
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      Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
      
      Actually summer in Austin is rather cool at night. At least up at Hamilton Pool where we used to hang out and water ski. Be careful though, Austin has gotten kinky. The police won't investigate a crime under $l,000. It's a bit too liberal for most of us now. I spent a lot of time in Austin when I was writing a lot of grants and there are some nice restaurants.
      
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        Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Thanks. I will be there about a week.
        
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        Posted by gharkness 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Also note that (as a response to the "no investigating a crime under $1,000,") the crime rate there is growing rapidly. So, mind your Ps and Qs and pay attention to what's around you. IMO Austin is an embarrassment to Texas
        
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        Posted by TheRealBill 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        It is an opinion shared by many.
        
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        Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        I concur with you wholeheartedly. And it is such a lovely city. Shame on them. It was that crazy lady sheriff (?) they had that started all this.
        
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        Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Thanks, but I'm visiting Leander, Tx which is near Austin. It's easier just to say "Austin" as it is more recognizable.
        
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        Posted by Idiocracy42 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        I'm about 20 minutes north of Leander. It's a nice place, still feels like Texas.
        
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        Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Thanks. I've never been to Leander so this will be my first time. My son moved there a few months ago. Years ago I landed in Austin airport and then drove to Temple where I had a job contract for a few weeks. Same for Dallas. All I remember about Austin was the traffic from the airport. In Dallas I had a one week training course. Also had a training course in Houston for a week. Other than going through on a train on my way to Arizona those are my Texas experiences. Working usually meant 6 12-hour days per week so I didn't get to see or do much. This time it's pure vacation/visit.
        
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        Posted by Idiocracy42 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        I'd say you've seen most of the worst of Texas. Spend some time away from the cities. Also, go outside in the evening... it sounds strange, I suppose, but we really have the very best night air.
        
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        Posted by mccannon01 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Looking forward to sitting outside in the evenings.
        
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        Posted by gharkness 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        Yes, one of my best online friends lives in Leander. Her husband is a police officer for Austin, but he is retiring in something like 30 days. From what I've seen, Leander is a high-dollar suburb. ETA: I almost said "Leander," and then figured no one would know where I was talking about :-)
        
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        Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
        
        We Texans would. My cousin was sheriff of some little town near Austin can't recall the name of it. He was Sheriff of Shertz for years. I once asked a guy how long he'd be sheriff and the guy responded 'as long as he wants to.' Laugh out loud.
        
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Posted by VetteGuy 2 years, 5 months ago

When we convert to NewSpeak, complete with phonetic spelling, all will be resolved.

Actually I think we are half way to NewSpeak already. War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Burning buildings is peaceful protest ...

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  Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  I don't think I can do that without laughing.
  
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Posted by teri-amborn 2 years, 5 months ago

However, you CAN be a "foodie".
Go figure...

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Posted by jdg 2 years, 5 months ago

And you drive on a parkway and park in a driveway. Deal with it.

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Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago

Sorry. I'm being punished by some of my friends because I missed our class reunion. They are all sending me emails.. They did make me laugh.

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Posted by DriveTrain 2 years, 5 months ago

I can help you with one:

"Food" is just the past tense of foo. I know, it confused me for a long time too.

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Posted by 25n56il4 2 years, 5 months ago

Okay. One more and I'll shut up. Why does fridge have a 'D' in it but refrigerator doesn't? Yuk!

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  Posted by Dobrien 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  What starts with a w and ends with a t?
  
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    Posted by Russpilot 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    It certainly does.
    
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Posted by Olduglycarl 2 years, 5 months ago

I am with you there, Pronounce the way it's spelt or spell it the way you want to pronounce it!
It's just that simple.

If there ever should be a standard, it should be with spelling and pronunciation of words

Here, I'll fix a few of my pet peeves: I read a book about red reeds and might rede it again just for the hell of it.

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Posted by term2 2 years, 5 months ago

wow, what an important thing to think about. it is what it is. There are lots of ways different people pronounce words, and so what...

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Posted by Thoritsu 2 years, 5 months ago

Apparently the French version of Indian names:

https://history.howstuffworks.com/his...

English can certainly be viewed a lexical chaotic disaster, or a welcoming lexical diversity, ripe with interesting features and novelty. Probably kills obsessive compulsive people.

A scosche originated in Japanese? Good lord!

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  Posted by TheRealBill 2 years, 5 months ago
  
  English followed other languages down alleyways, clubbed them over the head, and rifled their pockets for loose grammar.
  
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    Posted by Thoritsu 2 years, 5 months ago
    
    Well we ate and drank with our conquests, (and did other things in dark alleys) I guess. The Spanish and Portuguese just stamped out theirs, just like the World Oligarchs want to do to us!
    
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[Ask the Gulch] (1) Why is it that Kansas and Arkansas are pronounced differently bothers me way more than it should? (2) Is the 'S' or 'C' in scent silent? (3) You can drink a drink but you can't food your food?

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