|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Does anybody pronounce the "a" in temperamental or temperament anymore? I know the "a" is there, and my mind sees it when I say it, but I always say tempermental or temperment. However, I have to write it with the "a", of course, or it's incorrect. Is this then an injustice to the natural evolution of language if the written "a" is required if most people don't pronounce it anymore? What can move a lexiconographer to change a standard spelling to a new, more widely-used, usage?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618
addict
|
addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618 |
Does anybody pronounce the "a" in temperamental or temperament anymore?
Anybody in Oz does. Though admittedly it's more like temp'ramental.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Acutally, doc, now that you mention it, it seems that when I first started droppimg the syllable I was saying tem-PRA-mental...but then it quickly migrated to tem-PER-mental...just easier to say, I guess.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
In reply to:
I have to write it with the "a", of course, or it's incorrect.
Pique-y pique-y
Bingley
Bingley
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Dear Juan,
I say "tempermental"--but I'll change if need be.
For a long time I said, "Febuary" till I realized I really should enunciate the "r" in "ru". Changes are easy.
Will go check Onelook now to see whether I should be enunciating the "a" in temperamental.
Flexibly yours, WW
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
However, I have to write it with the "a", of course, or it's incorrect. That ever stopped you before? [duck]
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
Though admittedly it's more like temp'ramental.
Yes, here too.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
Though admittedly it's more like temp'ramental.
Yes, here too.
me, too.
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 180
member
|
member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 180 |
"Is this then an injustice to the natural evolution of language if the written "a" is required if most people don't pronounce it anymore?"
I adhere to the tempramental school, myself, dropping the e before the r.
But in response to your other question, since when do we spell English the way it sounds? And according to which regional accent? I've always thought it would be a disservice to the natural evolution of a language to hide its past by making the spelling more acceptable to contemporary sensibilities. I like the fact that English wears its history on its sleeve. Do you realize how few people even know English HAS sleeves?
Of course, I'm being completely self-indulgent here. I LIKE being able to look at a word and see centuries of history. It not only keeps me entertained, but it prevents people from casually asking me questions about words because they're afraid I will actually answer them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
I LIKE being able to look at a word and see centuries of history. It not only keeps me entertained, but it prevents people from casually asking me questions about words because they're afraid I will actually answer them. !!! I think I love you!
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,334
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
729
guests, and
2
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|