The "Annoying Phrase" Thread

[jamespowers]

other sources for an historical
"The New Fowler's Modern English Usage" -Oxford University Press (a US publisher)

"Now, try "the history" and "the historical." A little-known fact about English is that whether a noun begins with a consonant or vowel affects not only the selection of "a" and "an," but also the pronunciation of "the": before a consonant this article is pronounced [thuh] but before a vowel it is pronounced [thee]. If you want to say [thee] before "historical," or if this pronunciation sounds right to you, you are not pronouncing the initial [h] in that word.
Although the sound [h] is disappearing from many dialects of English, it is not dropping out in every word; it is dropping only from those syllables that are unaccented, hence pronounced more lightly. This means that "history" retains its [h] because the syllable it introduces is accented. The accent falls on the second syllable of "historical," so the word AS PRONOUNCED, not as written, begins with a vowel in many dialects. This means that "the" should be pronounced [thee] and "an" is the appropriate indefinite article in those dialects but only those dialects. "A historical" remains preferable in formal English."
from - http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/drgw007.html

from doing random google searches it looks like a historic vs. an historic is a 2 to 1 ratio of use.

also we do say "erbs" here in the north east, a "herb" is an idiot

The summary is the last sentence "A historical" remains preferable in formal English." It remains that a is proper instead of an. In both "historical" and history cases I pronounce the the Thuh. Now say that fast three times.
Ah, at least you pronounce herb correctly.

 

[jamespowers]

Annoying terms:
1. Spooktacular
2. Craptastic
3. "Couple-three" as in "I have a couple-three errands to run, then I'll come over and drink your Glenmorangie."

Don't tell me that someone referred to your party as a Halloween Spooktacular! :eusa_doh:
They need a spooktacular kick in their posterior but you might kill them with that anal cranium inversion disease they have.

 

[Dr Doran]

Don't tell me that someone referred to your party as a Halloween Spooktacular! :eusa_doh:

Only one of my brothers but he was not present -- thankfully for him.

They need a spooktacular kick in their posterior but you might kill them with that anal cranium inversion disease they have.

A physiological mess.

While we are on the subject of pronunciation: I cannot cannot cannot stand the way British people say "Mummy" instead of "Mommy." No offense, Brits -- I love your country and I would not be unhappy to spend the rest of my years confined within the British Museum in London -- but hearing an English child with a childish voice say dramatically, eyes a-teared, holding a hand out imploringly, with an English accent "Oh Mummy, where are you? Mummy?" is about the most annoying phrase there is.

There are many expressions said, in fake American accents used by non-Americans, that I really love. One is Ute Lemper's version of Sally Bowles in her recorded versions of the songs from "Cabaret." She really lays on the American accent thick, and it's amusing and slightly over-the-top, especially when she says "give a working girl a chance" with an ugly "r" in "girl" and an incredibly drawn-out American "a" in "chance."

A nation should be able to make fun of its own follies, and not mind terribly if someone from another nation points out one, once in a while -- naturally, as long as it does not become excessive.

 

[jamespowers]

Only one of my brothers but he was not present -- thankfully for him.



A physiological mess.

While we are on the subject of pronunciation: I cannot cannot cannot stand the way British people say "Mummy" instead of "Mommy." No offense, Brits -- I love your country and I would not be unhappy to spend the rest of my years confined within the British Museum in London -- but hearing an English child with a childish voice say dramatically, eyes a-teared, holding a hand out imploringly, with an English accent "Oh Mummy, where are you? Mummy?" is about the most annoying phrase there is.

There are many expressions said, in fake American accents used by non-Americans, that I really love. One is Ute Lemper's version of Sally Bowles in her recorded versions of the songs from "Cabaret." She really lays on the American accent thick, and it's amusing and slightly over-the-top, especially when she says "give a working girl a chance" with an ugly "r" in "girl" and an incredibly drawn-out American "a" in "chance."

A nation should be able to make fun of its own follies, and not mind terribly if someone from another nation points out one, once in a while -- naturally, as long as it does not become excessive.

I really don't have much of a problem with "Mummy" but the thing that bothers me is when names that end in "a" end up being pronounced with an "er" at the end. Names like Amanda and Emma end up sounding like Emmer and Amander. My great Aunt was named Emma so she was thrilled having her name pronounced that way.
On this side of the atlantic, I hate when people try to appear sophisticated by pronouncing Aunt as Ahnt instead of Ant. I always wondered why there is a root of sophist (notice the lower case s. ) in such a word but I think I know now.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

pronouncing Aunt as Ahnt instead of Ant.

Try coming from NYC and living in New England ....Ant-Ahnt ain't the only situation where there is a pronunciation dispute car-cah...park-pahk...:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

 

[jamespowers]

Try coming from NYC and living in New England ....Ant-Ahnt ain't the only situation where there is a pronunciation dispute car-cah...park-pahk...:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

I suppose that is a regional thing out there. Here it has nothing to do with where you are from. It is just one of those words that they feel should be pronounced their way.
I can understand the whole r to h conversion but u to h?[huh]

 

[Carlisle Blues]

but u to h?[huh]

Some things are just WRONG....

There is no "R" in Aunt....I wonder about this place sometimes...lol lol

 

[jamespowers]

Some things are just WRONG....

There is no "R" in Aunt....I wonder about this place sometimes...lol lol

Arnt? Sounds like a last name.

 

[Lorena B]

Arnt????? never heard that one before!!!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Arnt? Sounds like a last name.

lol lol lol lol lol

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Ahnt" is the proper pronunciation for your uncle's wife. An "ant" is what you step on when it gets into your kitchen.

 

[jamespowers]

"Ahnt" is the proper pronunciation for your uncle's wife. An "ant" is what you step on when it gets into your kitchen.

lol lol lol Maybe you would like to step on your aunt?
Uh, not so much according to Merriam-Webster:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Aunt
Hit the little speaker next to the word.

 

[jamespowers]

Arnt????? never heard that one before!!!

That's the one people like Thurston Howell III uses on Gilligan's Island.

 

[HadleyH]

and the always reliable "Wet one's appetite"

^
^
^

That one needs to be revived.


I'm not speaking here of mere stupidity. "Wet one's appetite" is unparallel in its effect of total hideousness.

No doubt about it.-:kick:

 

[jamespowers]

^
^
^

That one needs to be revived.


I'm not speaking here of mere stupidity. "Wet one's appetite" is unparallel in its effect of total hideousness.

No doubt about it.-:kick:

So whet is all wet. Homonyms really make people have a hard time with writing. Speaking comes across just fine but writing.....
I often see bare instead of bear as well. Particularly funny is the "right to bare arms" I once saw. I figured it was a nudist at first.

 

[HadleyH]

Jamespowers if I may ...... incorrect spelling( a misplaced h here, or an a there instead of e)...are insignificant in the contex of irritating...don't annoy me half as much as the way people use certain words or phrases for their whole meaning..... i can take incorrect spelling.... the other i can not ...... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR :rage:


Let's look at the BIG picture. Petty details dont count you know what i mean ! lol

 

[jamespowers]

Jamespowers if I may ...... incorrect spelling( a misplaced h here, or an a there instead of e)...are insignificant in the contex of irritating...don't annoy me half as much as the way people use certain words or phrases for their whole meaning..... i can take incorrect spelling.... the other i can not ...... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR :rage:


Let's look at the BIG picture. Petty details dont count you know what i mean ! lol

Your right.

 

[HadleyH]

Thank You James!

 

[jamespowers]

Thank You James!

Did you check my homonym usage?

 

[HadleyH]

Yes lol lol lol