Originally Posted By: The Pook
[I never realised that "um" is pronounced "əm" (or "erm" in non-rhotic British transliteration) by Americans.


is it? not where I come from. erm is separate. but they both mean the same thing.

 Originally Posted By: The Pook
I always thought it was "um" (that is, IPA "ɶm" or "ɑm"). That's how we say the exclamation meaning, "err, ahh, I'm not sure."


exactly.

formerly known as etaoin...