As I hear it, Ancient Latin letters always make the same sounds, and always as written: that is, 'C' always makes an English 'K' sound regardless of context. Yes, 'Ceasar' would be pronounced 'Kai-sar.'
"Gram, this is Creg. We were roommates at Noter Daym. Have you tried his tomayto and baysil soup? I just love the urb flavo~~u~~rs. He should package it in aloominum cans, I bet he could export it to Eye-ran and Eye-rack."
At least Eye-ran and Eye-rack make a certain kind of sense, when you look at the words. The rest of these are just crazy. That's not how language works lol.
I can understand how the H gets dropped from "herbs" (it's to do with the French pronunciation, I think); what baffles me is how often the E then mutates into a U.
I wonder if other countries have similar gripes about how we pronounce things. If I went to a French subreddit, I wonder if we'd find discussions on the Anglosphere's stubborn insistence on calling their capital "Parris" rather than "Paree"?
First time I heard an American pronunciation of herb was in a game and I was convinced that this particular character just had a weird voice because it was a kinda silly game, no way anyone actually pronounces it like that! Then found out that Americans just can’t do that letter.
Replying to this just because I was lectured on saying “oz” elsewhere on reddit yesterday because apparently no one has ever done that (deleted it rather than argue with idiots) so I’m glad to see immediate proof they were wrong.
I remember haughtily telling one guy "If you're going to use that word as an insult, it's pronounced like 'rat', not like 'what'!" Left him flabbergasted.
I'd say depends on the Craig in question. If I was talking to an American Craig I'd use the American translation if it was a Brit or Aussie Craig I'd go with the UK/Australian one. Same with Graham.
I know people here love to shit on odd americanisms but I wouldnt intentionally mispronounce someone's name just cus that's how I like it to be pronounced.
As a Craig I hate the way Americans say my name. But the one that really makes me want to slap the person who says it is Cray-ig. Don’t know why but ig bit boils my piss.
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holytriplem@reddit
The same way as in Australia.
Cregg sounds incredibly weird to us
benjm88@reddit
Graham is the strangest
Rassilon182@reddit
Yeah they can’t pronounce it at all. 😂
Ill-Breadfruit5356@reddit
Almost as weird as the way Americans pronounce buoy “boo-eee”
Crazyh@reddit
Well duh, it's pronounced like that because its booeeyant!
Tumeni1959@reddit
Crayg.
Americans cannot pronounce Graham or Graeme, which comes out as Gram (should be Gray-um). In some cases, they even b8stardise the spelling into this.
peteralexjones@reddit
It's because they can pronounce h. Listen to how they say herb its fucking weird
Askduds@reddit
To be fair, listen to a Brit say “Honour”
Gaoler86@reddit
H in honour is silent. Like heir.
H in herb is not.
This is like saying pear should be pronounced like "air" because of the way we pronounce pneumatic.
Alchemist1788@reddit
Herb is a French word, and yes the H is silent just like Honour.
Gaoler86@reddit
Well consider me educated.
I went to look it up and you're right. "Herb" comes from Latin "herba" through old French "erbe", to Middle English "herb"
I guess there is no way to know for sure if the Romans pronounced it "herba" or "erba" but at least I learned something new.
BurningEvergreen@reddit
As I hear it, Ancient Latin letters always make the same sounds, and always as written: that is, 'C' always makes an English 'K' sound regardless of context. Yes, 'Ceasar' would be pronounced 'Kai-sar.'
AvoidsAvocados@reddit
When you say "les herbes" in French, the sound flows. When say "erbal essences shampoo" it sounds very ugly
Crazyh@reddit
Was a French word, we nicked it fair and square.
Hugh_Mann123@reddit
Pnear
Shoeaccount@reddit
Isn't that to do with some french origin or something or other?
david4460@reddit
Their faces curl up and you can see they have pain in their chest forcing urb out. Awful.
Shoeaccount@reddit
Makes me wince every time.
Plantagenesta@reddit
"Gram, this is Creg. We were roommates at Noter Daym. Have you tried his tomayto and baysil soup? I just love the urb flavo~~u~~rs. He should package it in aloominum cans, I bet he could export it to Eye-ran and Eye-rack."
BurningEvergreen@reddit
The eye-rack sounds like a torture device.
BitchInBoots666@reddit
At least Eye-ran and Eye-rack make a certain kind of sense, when you look at the words. The rest of these are just crazy. That's not how language works lol.
Plantagenesta@reddit
I can understand how the H gets dropped from "herbs" (it's to do with the French pronunciation, I think); what baffles me is how often the E then mutates into a U.
I wonder if other countries have similar gripes about how we pronounce things. If I went to a French subreddit, I wonder if we'd find discussions on the Anglosphere's stubborn insistence on calling their capital "Parris" rather than "Paree"?
ExArdEllyOh@reddit
If the Yanks were going to be properly French with "herbs" then they shouldn't pronounce the "s" either.
Shoeaccount@reddit
Isn't Paris just the English word (albeit with the same spelling)? Similar to how London isn't London in other languages
Loose_Loquat9584@reddit
Don’t forget the arreggano!
ThomasEichorst@reddit
That’s correct though. It’s a word borrowed from French, and in Britain it was pronounced ‘erb’ up until the 20th century
NoisyGog@reddit
Can or can’t?
lankymjc@reddit
First time I heard an American pronunciation of herb was in a game and I was convinced that this particular character just had a weird voice because it was a kinda silly game, no way anyone actually pronounces it like that! Then found out that Americans just can’t do that letter.
NoisyGog@reddit
Also worth mentioning is the particularly odd way they say the words “mirror” “squirrel”, and “horror”.
Hitonatsu-no-Keiken@reddit
And dentist is pronounced dennis.
BurningEvergreen@reddit
That one's more regional
chmath80@reddit
Managing to get "warrior" to rhyme with "lawyer" is a weird trick.
lurcherzzz@reddit
An American, a German and a Squirrel walk into a bar ...
Bodkinmcmullet@reddit
Bastadised spelling by putting fucking numbers in it
Drewski811@reddit
It's rare I say this, but the Ozzie's have it right.
It's not rare I say this, the yank version is ridiculous.
NoisyGog@reddit
Ozzies would be right. No apostrophe.
Drewski811@reddit
For some reason my phone autocorrected to that and I hadn't noticed, thanks
NoisyGog@reddit
My autocorrect has been absolutely fighting a war with me recently, it’s going utterly bananas
Pavlover2022@reddit
The way they say graham, too. "Graaaam" or "gray- haaaam" ugh
Diasl@reddit
Don't forget Colin sounding like Colon.
ExArdEllyOh@reddit
Wasn't that Colin Powell's deliberate affectation?
Askduds@reddit
Replying to this just because I was lectured on saying “oz” elsewhere on reddit yesterday because apparently no one has ever done that (deleted it rather than argue with idiots) so I’m glad to see immediate proof they were wrong.
LittleSadRufus@reddit
It's just a fun version of Aus and widely known in the UK, for decades at least. You live your life and ignore the geographically illiterate.
No_Noise_5733@reddit
Australian version
Affectionate_Comb_78@reddit
I remember watching The Mentalist for years and not realising that "Creg" was actually Craig.
SneakiestBacon@reddit
Why would "ai" ever be pronounced "eh"?
New_Expectations5808@reddit
Crayguh
BitchInBoots666@reddit
As a Scot, we often put U's where they don't belong (eg arm= arum), but even we wouldn't stick an uh on the end of Craig. That's weird.
404-N0tFound@reddit
Sounds like it'd be used by someone who's being condescending to a Craig. Crayg.
InconvenientPenguin@reddit
Craig and Greg shouldn't sound like the same word.
LittleSadRufus@reddit
They pronounce Greg as "Gorredge" I expect.
BitchInBoots666@reddit
Certain parts of the US pronounce Greg as - Grey-g. Can't make this shit up. Insanity.
TweakUnwanted@reddit
Greg's list
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
Never trust Americans with pronunciation...they can't even say twat right ffs
TweakUnwanted@reddit
Vehicle Route Router Craig Caramel Herbs Squirrel Mirror Solder
Honorary mention: I could care less.
reddogg81@reddit
Pasta
caiaphas8@reddit
They pronounce pasta as noodles
reddogg81@reddit
I've heard them say pasta and it's really weird, it sounds like paursta, I don't know it just sounds really strange
Kilawhatt@reddit
Wolf, wuff
TheDawiWhisperer@reddit
Wait.. squirrel?
TweakUnwanted@reddit
Skwrl
angel_0f_music@reddit
I remember haughtily telling one guy "If you're going to use that word as an insult, it's pronounced like 'rat', not like 'what'!" Left him flabbergasted.
brooksy362436@reddit
Coe-lyn instead of Colin always grates me.
madsmurf51@reddit
Don't forget Maurice - Mor-EEEs. Blows my mind
just_some_guy65@reddit
Don't get me started on "sodder"
BuncleCar@reddit
Also a Welsh word meaning rock.
Mossy-Mori@reddit
It means rock in Gaelic too
BuncleCar@reddit
Adds Bernard as BerrrnARD
TheGreatBigBlib@reddit
I'd say depends on the Craig in question. If I was talking to an American Craig I'd use the American translation if it was a Brit or Aussie Craig I'd go with the UK/Australian one. Same with Graham.
I know people here love to shit on odd americanisms but I wouldnt intentionally mispronounce someone's name just cus that's how I like it to be pronounced.
Sloppy-Joe76@reddit
As a Craig I hate the way Americans say my name. But the one that really makes me want to slap the person who says it is Cray-ig. Don’t know why but ig bit boils my piss.
TeamEldestBoy@reddit
Well they can say Haig so why not Craig!
Delicious-Cut-7911@reddit
cray-g
rice_fish_and_eggs@reddit
Crey like grey with a "g" on the end.
PetersMapProject@reddit
Same as in Australia - Crayg
AutoModerator@reddit
As the leading UK "ask" subreddit, we welcome questions from all users and countries; sometimes people who ask questions might not appreciate or understand the nuance of British life or culture, and as a result some questions can come across in a different way than intended.
We understand that when faced with these questions, our users may take the opportunity to demonstrate their wit, dry humour, and sarcasm - unfortunately, this also tends to go over the heads of misunderstood question-askers and can make our subreddit seem hostile to users from other countries who are often just curious about our land.
Please can you help prevent our subreddit from becoming an Anti-American echo chamber? If you disagree with any points raised by OP, or OP discusses common tropes or myths about the UK, please refrain from any brash, aggressive, or sarcastic responses and do your best to engage OP in a civil discussion, with the aim to educate and expand their understanding.
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