RANT: It's LOSE, not LOOSE

[Waldo]

My point is really that we are taught what sounds an "A" can make and "ER" isn't one of them. I can't see it being an accent thing, but I can see it being a lack of education passed down through generations.

...or a lack of caring as it really doesn't matter.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

...or a lack of caring as it really doesn't matter.

 

ert rly duznt duz't

[Raikas]

My point is really that we are taught what sounds an "A" can make and "ER" isn't one of them. I can't see it being an accent thing, but I can see it being a lack of education passed down through generations.

 

/r/ is a funny sound when it comes to phonology though - it's actually very common for it to be added/dropped in various accents (not to mention the l/r swapping that comes in all kinds of non-English languages) in interaction with the surrounding vowels (I believe it's called "intruding sounds", but it's been a good decade since my last Linguistics class, so I'd have to confirm that).

 

I don't know where you're from, but I know that people from Newfoundland or from Missouri who pronounce "Wash" as "Warsh" are showing a regional accent when they add that "r" sound.  It works in the opposite direction as well - my husband (who grew up in the UK near Liverpool) pronounces "World" as "Wohld" without the "r" sound whereas my mother (who grew up in what's now Namibia near Windhoek) pronounces it "Wurrr'ld" with extra emphasis on the "r" - I've spent the majority of my adult life in Canada and say "Werld" (although when I'm tired my accent shifts and I overdo the r a bit).  None of us is wrong; we're just all showing different regional variations in our accents.

 

I'm not trying to pick on your hatred of that one thing, but one of the things I love about language is how flexible it is.  And one of the things I love most about travel is listening to how the accents change as you move in any direction.  I'd hate to see us lose that kind of regional diversity, y'know?

[Guest Dirty Deads]

I can understand that. I hadn't considered the reverse such as a strong Bostonian accent when eating their "chowdah".

I just enjoy picking on that word because nobody says fermily, but they say fermiliar. I guess maybe the R sound comes along with the softer sound the A makes in familiar. Now that I think about it, someone might dislike the way I say it as fuhmilyer. I'll ease up a bit.

[MrsAMcGrath]

My co-worker said "lied her down" three times in one conversation. I think the initial offense may have been a mistake ... But when she did it 2 more times I began to realize it was intentional. I didn't have the heart to correct her - just could wait to share it with my fellow grammar nazis

[MrsAMcGrath]

Please forgive grammar and syntax of previous posts - I blame my fat fingers and my iPhone

[Drewsten]

I hold no hatred to those who don't speak English as a first language. I do however have a bone to pick with native English speakers who purposely butcher the language in to tiny pieces because they can't be bothered to write in a coherent way. It only makes it harder to read for both me and people who don't speak perfect English, and when you incorporate numbers instead of letters, I will find you and I will be visibly annoyed at you.

 

It's okay if you misspell, it happens. If you get something wrong, it's okay, everybody makes mistakes and can learn from it.

 

Okej bi evry1 c u l8tr!

[Thrillho]

It's spelled 'into'.