Timeline for Do "lamb" and "ram" share a common etymology?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
7 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2012 at 14:24 | comment | added | Mark Beadles | /skwɝl/ would make an excellent US English shibboleth. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 12:52 | comment | added | Barrie England | @tchrist: Yes, that must account for it. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 12:28 | comment | added | tchrist♦ | @BarrieEngland I’ve heard Stephen Fry imitate an American saying squirrel to contrast how he normally says it in RP, and it is definitely quite different: he has two syllables (as, I suspect, do you), while in North America it has just one, rhyming with girl and pearl (amongst others). It honestly never occurred to me that it might have an “alternate” two-syllable pronunciation before I heard Mr Fry do so. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 12:26 | comment | added | Barrie England | I believe Japanese airlines hope their passengers will have a good fright. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 12:21 | comment | added | Barrie England | The OED gives /ˈskwɪrəl/, and I think that’s how I pronounce it. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 12:15 | comment | added | Golden Cuy | Studying Japanese makes me forget that not everyone would know about "r" and "l" not being distinct in Japanese. | |
| Oct 17, 2012 at 11:37 | history | answered | John Lawler | CC BY-SA 3.0 |