VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:44 pm Post subject: When did these words change?

Within the past year I've noticed an odd phenomenon. It began with the host of Mysteries at the Museum, who I like a lot, Don Wildman. He's a good narrator and host, but he says a couple of words in a way I'm not used to hearing:

"tour" and "buried".

I've always heard them pronounced as TOOR (as in door)
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tour?s=t

and BERRIED
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/buried?s=t

But Wildman says them as TORE and BURRIED (like 'burr')

I didn't think that much about it until I heard one of our local news anchors here in Atlanta recently say buried the same way.

I have NEVER heard people say these words like this before and am wondering if I simply have not been exposed to it, or is it a weird regional thing, or - like 'often' where, suddenly, everyone began pronouncing the previously silent 't', are these some form of new, affected pronunciations?

Have you heard them pronounced this way in the past?
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

He's from PA/NJ. Many newscasters in Atlanta are from Ohio/PA.

There's no explaining it.

At least he can pronounce his Ls, which native Georgians (present company excluded) seem incapable of doing.

"Let's take the next caller" becomes

"Ets take thu nex cahur."
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 5:08 pm Post subject:

"Bury" brings to mind the horribly mispronounced "Azberry Park" (Asbury Park). I've always pronounced 'bury' as it is spelled; with a 'u' sound rather than an 'e' sound (as in 'berry'). Although, I just found the dictionary pronounces "bury" and "berry" the same way. I was very surprised to find that.

And I've always pronounced "tour" as in the numeral 2 followed by an 'r.'

If I were producing or directing, I would kindly ask for my preference.
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Bruce · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:24 pm Post subject:

I've heard "tuhr" for tour but not tore. And "burry" is not turribly unusual. It sounds odd for sure if you don't say it that way.

My grandmother was a voice coach in Hollywood as the talkies took hold in the late 20's and after. She lamented things such as the difference between Mary, merry, and marry not being observed.

I've listened to a few really good books about the history of the English language and there's one constant: It's never constant. One book had a good demonstration of what the language would have sounded like in Shakespeare's day. Holy cow. You'd have a hell of a time understanding many of the words we hear all the time now.

B

---
For the curious: MAY-ree, MEER-ee, MAH-ree
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Foog · Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:22 pm Post subject:

I've pronounced "when" pretty much the same as "win" all my life, but have lately started rhyming it with "pen" for no reason I can discover. And I can't stop myself now that I've started. What's worse, I don't even remember which is the more acceptable "neutral" pronunciation. Whale. Oil. Bead. Amped.

cheers,
Andrew Fogarasi

heyguido · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:38 am Post subject:

I grew up as an army brat... All over the world, and accordingly, have been able to avoid most regional influences....

I've learned over the years to ask about regional differences in pronunciation and usage....

It's worked to my advantage to be aware of these differences.

But, get me on the phone with my old man in Texas.... And it all goes to hell. Embarrassed

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ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:22 pm Post subject:

Berry, Barry. Bury.

Three different words.
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Foog · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 12:44 am Post subject:

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:07 am Post subject:

There is similarity - and most people pronounce them very much the same.

But try this sentence and shade the vowels and play with their placement.

"Barry, if you don't stop with the berries, I will bury you."

Barry is further back in your mouth. Berry is sort of in the middle and bury is more to the front.

Bah-ree, if you don't stop with the bearies, I will burry you.

If you take Barry too far, you end up in New York.
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Foog · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:18 pm Post subject:

I stumbled across this great article about how words change with time and immediately thought of this thread. Well worth the read...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/11/pronunciation-errors-english-language

cheers,
Andrew Fogarasi

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 5:06 pm Post subject:

Maybe it's an east coast thing, but berry, Barry and bury sound NOTHING alike to me. Not the way we say them.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 5:12 pm Post subject:

Berry and bury sound alike to me, but Barry doesn't sound like either of them.
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DougVox · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 5:32 pm Post subject:

According to Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com, berry and bury are pronounced exactly the same (and have always sounded the same to my ear).

Still, regionalisms will out.

I've always heard a similar but different example given of some of the subtle differences in pronunciation:

Mary, merry and marry.
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Bruce · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 7:41 am Post subject:

From earlier in this thread: