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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
This morning, on the NPR "Nature Watch" feature, the announcer discussed bison. He pronounced it "bizon." I had never heard "bison" pronounced with a zee sound before, but my Webster's indicates "bizon" as a second pronunciation.
Is "bizon" regional? Who else has heard this or uses this pronunciation?
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
In the greater metropolitan wonderland of Birmingham, UK, this is the standard pronunciation - "Put the towel nex ter the bizon, myert!"
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289 |
Sorry to say I'm buffaloed by this; have never heard it.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
sometimes it even sounds more like a 'c' -- you remember the big bisontennial celebration, don't you? (maybe not, you're probably too young :)
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
The voicing of otherwise unvoiced consonants between vowels is a pretty standard tendency in many languages. See Latin atus to Spanish, et al. ado. The next step is for the voiced consonant to go fricative as is seen in the aforementioned Spanish.
As for bizon vs bison That's pretty much the way I've heard it. They both taste® OK to me.
taste is a registered trademark of xara
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
I hope I can be some sort of authority on this because the bison is on the Manitoba flag, it's the provincial government symbol, etc. In Manitoba all I've ever heard is a "z" sound. I always thought it sounded awkward the other way. (My British friend just confirmed that he says "s" instead.) Too weird. You have collectively upset my worldview! 
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
Do not fret Bean petite soeur. It is also pronounce as bi zon here in Québec too. Maybe it is a Canada thing. Oh, and um, Sparteye, it is a zed not a zee 
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
Sorry to say I'm buffaloed by this; have never heard itJust another chip off the old block, huh, Bob?  Oh, and Mav, can you give me street directions to this wonderland in Birmingham? I feel a real need to see the impossible at least once before I die. Thanks.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
Oh, and um, Sparteye, it is a zed not a zee although south of the border it is zed not to b. 
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
taste is a registered trademark of xara Is there a licensing fee? It might explain why one finds so little of it.
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