You've got to be joking.

[red750]

I'm posting this here because our American friends would not see it on the Off Topic site.

 

Some "leading US Authority on language" has decreed that the correct pronunciation of our famous Australian bird, which appears on our Coat of Arms, the EMU,

should be pronounced "EE MOO".

 

That's like saying "BISON" should be pronounced BASSOON.

 

For Pete's sake America! Did you ask an Australian? The pronunciation of EMU is "EEM YOU"

[onetrack]

Don't forget, these are the same people who pronounce "nuclear" as "noo-kal-ear", and aluminium as "aloo-min-um".

 

I guess, despite the accents and local terminology and differing pronunciations, we can at least usually understand each other. But I had a Scot, a parts interpreter, on the phone the other day - and I couldna' unnerstan' the laddie!

 

This, despite my mother being Scottish!! She was always surprised that people would still say, "Oh, you're Scottish", as soon as she spoke, even after she'd been living in Australia for 60 years.

[turboplanner]

Don't forget, these are the same people who pronounce "nuclear" as "noo-kal-ear", and aluminium as "aloo-min-um".

 

I guess, despite the accents and local terminology and differing pronunciations, we can at least usually understand each other. But I had a Scot, a parts interpreter, on the phone the other day - and I couldna' unnerstan' the laddie!

 

This, despite my mother being Scottish!! She was always surprised that people would still say, "Oh, you're Scottish", as soon as she spoke, even after she'd been living in Australia for 60 years.

If you'd asked him to snedc an email you would have understood him perfectly.

Unless they opt to add in some Scottish slang the Scots use exactly the same grammar as we do; you wouldn't pick one on this forum.

[cscotthendry]

Don't forget, these are the same people who pronounce "nuclear" as "noo-kal-ear", and aluminium as "aloo-min-um".

 

I guess, despite the accents and local terminology and differing pronunciations, we can at least usually understand each other. But I had a Scot, a parts interpreter, on the phone the other day - and I couldna' unnerstan' the laddie!

 

This, despite my mother being Scottish!! She was always surprised that people would still say, "Oh, you're Scottish", as soon as she spoke, even after she'd been living in Australia for 60 years.

I know quite a number of aussies that pronounce “nuclear” as “ nuke you lar”

Hmmm, so you lot aren't perfect either.

Enough with the grammar policing eh?

[old man emu]

Some "leading US Authority on language" has decreed that the correct pronunciation of our famous Australian bird, which appears on our Coat of Arms, the EMU,should be pronounced "EE MOO".

 

I'm beak-smacked.

 

[IBob]

If you'd asked him to send an email you would have understood him perfectly.

Unless they opt to add in some Scottish slang the Scots use exactly the same grammar as we do; you wouldn't pick one on this forum.

I don't know about the written word, but in the spoken, even without the slang, I think they use slightly different sentence structures and word grouping. Certainly that's what I found difficult when I was first there.

It used to be said that the difference between visiting in Edinburgh and Glasgow was that the one would say 'You'll have some tea' while the other would say 'You'll have had your tea'. Both plain enough english, but not a phrasing you're so likely to find in England or Australia.

Similarly 'You'll no be telling me......' could be written in plain english as 'You'll not be telling me......' but it's not a usage you'd see outside Scotland.

[Mewp]

Got Foxtel (Auster) around 1996 and was shocked by the strong American accent that came across with all the American content. Now 20 odd years later I do not even notice the difference. With all the US content our language is slowly migrating from the good old aussie accent to the now international (American) version of english without even noticing it youall. I even believe some schools teach "Z" as ZEE. What next!

[IBob]

Fortunately, we have finally got away from the idea that there is (or ever was) a 'correct' form of english. There is only english as it was and is spoken in various places, all equally valid variants.

It wasn't always viewed this way: go back to British news broadcasts from the mid 20th century to hear what was then regarded as 'proper' english; apparently one couldn't get a job at the BBC unless one spoke this way.

And the same manner of speech was adopted for radio broadcasts in Australia, New Zealand.........and even parts of the US.

I came across an astonishing thing the other day: here is Eleanor Roosevelt, an American born and bred, sounding like a slightly wonky version of the Queen:

[turboplanner]

Got Foxtel (Auster) around 1996 and was shocked by the strong American accent that came across with all the American content. Now 20 odd years later I do not even notice the difference. With all the US content our language is slowly migrating from the good old aussie accent to the now international (American) version of english without even noticing it youall. I even believe some schools teach "Z" as ZEE. What next!

Given that I'm a reluctant Grade 3 teacher in 17 minutes time, I can tell you unequivocally that in the Victorian Education curriculum Z is pronouced Zed, but aitch is pronounced Haitch.

[skippydiesel]

As an internationalist born in Nigeria, educated in Ulster, trained in England, of Irish/Australian parents, having lived in a number of, so called, English speaking countries - English, as spoken in various places , can border on a foreign language to each (& require the intervention of an interpreter from time to time) - it is no wonder that I have trouble with spelling.

[RossK]

I know quite a number of aussies that pronounce “nuclear” as “ nuke you lar”

You can blame the SImpsons for that one. There is an episode where Homer corrects Lisa, telling her;

"it's pronounced Nukular honey, Nukular"

[onetrack]

If you like to think you can understand every version of English, I defy anyone to get a good handle on the Highland Scottish dialect.

 

Download "Da Tree Peerie Grice" story from the site below (illustrated PDF format) and see how you go with a common childrens fable in the Highland dialect.

[Jase T]

Well it’s time we introduced them to Drop Bares s Hoop Snakes

[KRviator]

A Seppo asking for directions in London.

 

Pom: Take the lift to the 3rd floor.

Yank: You mean the Elevator.

Pom: No no, it's a lift.

Yank: No, it's an ELEVATOR.

Pom: I beg to differ, it is called a lift.

Yank: It is an ELEVATOR. I should know, it was invented in America.

Pom: Perhaps, but the language was invented here....

[440032]

A guy I worked with some years ago was in London one time. He darted in to some posh hotel to take a whiz. He asked the concierge penguin dressed in top hat and tails "Mate, where's the dunny?"

The concierge said in his proper British voice, "Down the hall here Sir, third door on the right where it says GENTLEMEN. Just ignore that, and go right on in."

[flying dog]

This, despite my mother being Scottish!! She was always surprised that people would still say, "Oh, you're Scottish", as soon as she spoke, even after she'd been living in Australia for 60 years.

 

That isn't an easy accent to shake though.

 

Depending on .... Oh. Living in Oz for 60 years.

 

Yeah, well I knew someone who was here about that time too. They had a heavy accent.

[Wirraway]

I don't know about the written word, but in the spoken, even without the slang, I think they use slightly different sentence structures and word grouping. Certainly that's what I found difficult when I was first there.

It used to be said that the difference between visiting in Edinburgh and Glasgow was that the one would say 'You'll have some tea' while the other would say 'You'll have had your tea'. Both plain enough english, but not a phrasing you're so likely to find in England or Australia.

Similarly 'You'll no be telling me......' could be written in plain english as 'You'll not be telling me......' but it's not a usage you'd see outside Scotland.

 

My wife was born in Edinburgh, moved to England at about 7 years old, been in Oz for about 30 years now.

When we first met, sometimes I would struggle to understand what she was saying, not because of an accent, but her sentence structure.

 

"Have you not got any bread?"

 

Big pause while I would try to understand.....I was more used to someone saying, "haven't you got any bread?"

There were many similar phrases.

 

Then one day her mother asked if I was hungry, and did I "....want a piece for lunch?"

 

"err, yes please, but a piece of what?"

 

A piece is Scottish for a sandwich!!!

[onetrack]

My Scottish auntie (Mothers sister) lived in Townsville for 35 years. But she'd still go into a shop and say, "I'll ha' a pirn o' threed, and a pund o' tatties"!! (a reel of cotton thread, and a pound of potatoes).

[old man emu]

My wife, an English rose, pronounces "auction" as "orkshun", while I, a native of this sunburnt land, say "oxshun"