INVENTOR OF VERBIAGE: Me and my pal Dick were having an argument at lunch over the proper pronunciation of Cannes, as in "the Cannes Film Festival." Having been there -- hmmph -- I told him it was pronounced "can." Being kind of an intellectual snobby type, he assured me it was pronounced "con." Anyway, being the kind of nitpicker-dick that I am, always having to be in the know and whatnot, I rushed back and proved my point and e-mailed him about it. Although he was unimpressed with my victory, he was especially taken with the new expression I invented to describe what I'd done. I told him I'd done my "Goo-diligence," meaning that I'd used Google to...you get it.
And I was so proud of myself, and feeling so protective of my new term, that I rushed here to show it off to y'all.
BTW, "verbiage" has only two syllables. And you don't "pronunciate" something, you just pronounce it.
I am such a grammar prig.
3.07.2006
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Two things pertaining to this post...
First, I read this post with my wife reading over my shoulder. Upon arriving at the name of the Festival, I asked her to say the word, identifying it as a place in France. Alas, her pronunciation was not one of the choices laid out later on. "Caaahh-nnn-zzz" was her best guess. (I got it wrong too, but I at least I hit one of the two choices.
Second, while the Camel is surely pleased with himself, he has not done his due Googligence on this one.
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2003/03/29.html
I got this one right. Ver-bee-ij.. three syllables. (Verb-ij would be a term that Spicoli would use)
Oops, here's the link.
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2003/03/29.html
Crap. You're right! Hate it.
Also called checking your 'G-Cred', found here.
This brings me back to a week-long argument that you and Brandon had about the correct pronunciation of "yolk."
How could anyone not pronunciate :) "yolk" correctly? There are no options. This cannot possibly be up for debate.
L.
Laurel, many people (including the aforementioned Brandon) think yolk and folk are pronounced with an audible 'l'. In fact, they're pronounced "yoke" and "foke."
But I'm sure you knew that.
:-)
You really must ask Paula, she is very familiar with French pronunciation. She can tell you the difference between southern French, Northern French, and Parisian French. (She keeps correcting me on the way I say Michigan, for Heaven's sake).
I think you are right, though. It is pronounced "can" - up through your nose with a very very soft n and not "con". The French do differenciate between the soft a and the soft o.
Zed would assure that it is not legal in Scrabble.
Yes, I did know that. The l is silent in yolk and folk. What hack school did your dear friend Brandon attend?
L.
Wow. You're not the person I expected to be throwing stones, L.
saying "con" is like saying "ralph lau-RON". it's like faux in-the-know. smirkworthy.
I don't get the chance to throw too many, so I seize a chance when it comes my way. Also, plenty have been thrown my way, so just returning the jab.
L.
I like grammar snobs. I pretend to be one, but would be slammed by someone like you.
Undergrad I started out an English major and finished with a degree in journalism. Did you like diagramming sentences? I was one of the few who enjoyed it especially doing them up on the chalk board in front of the whole class. :) Former Nerd
Consider loaning your passion to literacy tutoring. The program includes teaching phonics (pronunciation).
Oh, man, it would have been so much more enjoyable and meaningful if you had started out with, "My pal Dick and I....."
Shame on you!
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