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Joined: Jun 2004
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2 |
Does anyone know why Americans use the pronunciation primer, rhymes with dimmer; for a book to teach children to read or an introductory book on a subject? As opposed to primer, rhymes with, well; rhymer. I believe both pronunciations are acceptable but I've only ever heard the primer / dimmer usage in the U.S.A.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 7,210 |
I don't know, but it always drove me nuts! welcome to the board, phleebler. 
formerly known as etaoin...
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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Posts: 389 |
A prim and proper schoolmarm's never-reveled Freudian slip?
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,526
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
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I've only heard it pronounced "primmer" by older people - those about my (now deceased) granparents ages (90 - 94). No idea why they did it this way. I always thought it was the olde English way. Maybe it was just a mispronunciation that caught on.
My grandpa also said "EYE TAL yun spaghetti."
My own weirdness is arithmetic, which I learnt to pronounce as arith MA' tic when used as an adjective. I recall my teacher (among the best I ever had) specifically telling us this.
So as a noun, a rith muh TIK'
and as an adjective, a rith MA' tik (short A in MA)
(as in a rith MA' tik progression)
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
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My understanding has been that a primmer is a prayer book or book for beginning readers, whereas a primer (prhymer)is a base coat of paint before the real color is painted on or it is using a bit of water to prime a pump i.e.
It is a fine distinction. When I looked at my OED CD it pretty much agreed.
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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a primmer is a... book?!
huh. to me, primmer means "more prim".
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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primmer means "more prim"
yeah, that's what always threw me...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The primers we had in school were always pretty prim.
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veteran
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veteran
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You also hear this in the UK vs US pronunciation of privacy. Probably has something to do with language change between the UK and the 13 colonies.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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... and primping for the prom often includes a bit of face primer.
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