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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 The pronunciation of bury #71804 05/30/02 06:48 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin B belligerentyouth OP old hand OP belligerentyouth old hand B Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin I don't know of this has come up before. If so, bad luck:-) Those foreign to English often pronounce this word differently than I, and it got me wondering about whether I'm really saying it correctly. At dictionary.com I found some interesting notes on this one: http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=bury And that pretty much answered half my question. It seems bury is generally spoken exactly the same as 'berry', or rather it rhymes with it as the link questions; 'Why does bury rhyme with berry?' it asks. It states how in certain parts of England bury was/is pronounced biry, boory (like jury) and bery. Fair enough, nothing uncommon. English students often opt for a pronunciation more like one of those rough, prickly husks, a burr, with a 'y' on the end though - and why not? One might agree that at least some would pronounce the 'bury' in Canterbury as such, as long as the '-bury' part is not swallowed as '-bry'. Or would you exclusively go for something like canterbery or cantabery? Am I making myself clear? - Probably not. p.s. How do you lot pronounce library, btw? ... ducking for cover [g] Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71805 05/30/02 07:23 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 B belMarduk Carpal Tunnel belMarduk Carpal Tunnel B Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 I don't know if it is common but I pronounce differently: bury = burr + ee buried = berried burial = burr + ial Library = lye + brare + ee (is there more than one way to pronounce library?) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71806 05/30/02 07:27 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 is there more than one way to pronounce library? The first r is silent. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71807 05/30/02 07:31 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin B belligerentyouth OP old hand OP belligerentyouth old hand B Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin > The first r is silent. Have we an authority amongst us? [g] Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71808 05/30/02 07:40 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin B belligerentyouth OP old hand OP belligerentyouth old hand B Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin > bury = burr + ee Good to hear that some first language speakers do. I think you are in the minority with your 'burr + ee' version BelM, but certainly not alone. Canadians also say 'to-more-row' for tomorrow too, so I'd hardly expect a normal pronunciation of 'bury'. Perhaps your pronunciation is fairly standard in Canada? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71809 05/30/02 07:48 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 lower upstate New York AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 lower upstate New York Perhaps your pronunciation is fairly standard in Canada? Or perhaps bel is not a "first-language speaker"? I do the 'berry' thang, too. And 'li-berry' jocularly [ahem] 'February' I avoid altogether! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71810 05/30/02 08:01 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 B belMarduk Carpal Tunnel belMarduk Carpal Tunnel B Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 Now wait a minute there mister ...isn't tomorrow always pronounced to-more-row??? Perhaps your pronunciation is fairly standard in Canada? I"m not sure on that. Because of the French influence in Québec there are some pronunciations that are different. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71811 05/30/02 08:56 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin B belligerentyouth OP old hand OP belligerentyouth old hand B Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,055 Berlin > isn't tomorrow always pronounced to-more-row Errrr, no. Though my written form may be unclear to you. The pronunciation of this word and others like it (e.g. 'bore-row' for borrow) is a 'secret' way to tell Canadians and USn's from one another. This vowel sound is the main difference between the two accents, but not the only. In ordinary language you don't have to wait too long before being able to confirm from which side of the border the person comes through this. Most of the time I can quickly single a suspect North American accent, I then wait for the 'to-more-row' confirmation - or alternatively an 'eh' at the end of a sentence before breaking open the maple syrup;-) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: The pronunciation of bury #71812 05/30/02 09:00 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 B belMarduk Carpal Tunnel belMarduk Carpal Tunnel B Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 eh?? and pass the maple syrup please. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter . #71813 05/30/02 09:05 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 3,409 M Max Quordlepleen Carpal Tunnel Max Quordlepleen Carpal Tunnel M Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 3,409 Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. 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