The Amazing English Language...

[Caoimhin]

Eh, I thought I'd just start a topic about really stupid grammatical and spelling mistakes, and just the English language in general. Well apparently the British pronounce "Z" as "Zed", I'm sure a few people can varify this. I was playing a Wild ARMS game and my mom noticed it that that was one of the character's had that name.

[osprey]

It's half and half here in Canada...some say "zee" some say "zed." I myself say "zed." This is not a mistake, it's actually how the letter was originally pronounced.

[Moddex]

One thing that drives me nuts is how "GH" makes a "W" sound at the end of a word. Where do you get the "W" sound from "GH"?

[Dr. Doog]

...they don't. they get the W sound from the OU preceding the GH. the GH is just there to look pretty.

[Tum0spoo]

One thing that drives me nuts is how "GH" makes a "W" sound at the end of a word. Where do you get the "W" sound from "GH"?

In what words? I can think of "through", but the "W" sound is from the "ou" the "gh" is still silent.

EDIT: doog beat me to it.
Also, interesting info, Pittsburgh is the only "berg" to end in "gh" because we were the only city to oppose the name change.

[Moddex]

Using "though" as an example then. If it was without the "GH", "though' would sound like -thah-. Without "UGH". It would sound like -thoo-.

[Glenn565]

I was playing a Wild ARMS game and my mom noticed it that that was one of the character's had that name.

You must have been playing the original Wild ARMs or the PS2 remake, Wild ARMs: Alter Code F. Both of which are awesome. I only got up to getting the ship and then I stopped playing it.

Anyway, In the japanese version, his name was Jet. So his US name is just one big mistranslation, and less up for interpretation on how to pronounce it.

[Tom Flapwell]

Ought, cough, enough, through, though, bough.

I have a feeling Timulty will say things like that when he's older.

[CodeCat]

English spelling definitely doesn't make sense in the context of pronunciation, but it's interesting because it shows the history of the language. All the GHs for example were originally pronounced as a soft 'G' not unlike the 'CH' in German. Eventually the sound disappeared from English though, and wherever it appeared it changed to an F, H, or went silent altogether.

[Niko123000]

If were going to bring up strange spelings, I'd like to see how many of you (non mass natives) can pronounce worcester, leominster, and.... damn what was that other town.

well anyway, I'd like to see how many of you can pronounce those right.

[CodeCat]

Wuster, Lemster.

[Niko123000]

Wuster, Lemster.

The first is right, and your close with the second. It's pronounced "Lemonster"

[CodeCat]

Not in the UK it isn't...

[Niko123000]

Not in the UK it isn't...

Hey, It may be "New England" But that don't mean we pronounce it like you english folk.

I sounded like such a redneck there

[Moddex]

In English, isn't the proper pronounciation Werchester?