This video gives mind-blowing facts about linguistics. In particular, how pronunciation has changed over time.
Thus, if you are writing a historical novel, be careful in assuming the words you use meant the same in your era and that they they were pronounced like they are today.
Made me think of older poetry or song lyrics and some rhyming couplets. No wonder they sometimes don’t rhyme when we say them today!
Fascinating six-minute video.
To Romance or Not to Romance
Oh, I loved this!!! As a former ESL teacher with an emphasis on phonology, I found this absolutely fascinating. Thanks, Steve. This was fun, fun, fun!
Fascinating, Steve, thanks.
Really interesting information here, Steve. Thank you.
Thanks Steve. My first grader is obsessed with exactly how words are pronounced, he enjoyed this with me.
Ouch used to be ooch. So interesting how things change. It’s like a blending of various languages causes an evolution of how its pronounced. Just my guess.
Wouldn’t you love to know how Americans came to have such a unique “r” sound? As a nation of mostly immigrants and their descendents, it seems that we would have adopted a pronunciation already in common use by one of the most prominent immigrant language groups. But I’m thinking some regional dialects or accents don’t have the hard “r” American pronunciation to the extent others do, such as the stereotypical NYC and NJ accents. Fascinating and very relevant for writers!
This study in elocution is informative and reminds me of Lisa Doolittle and ‘enry iggings.’ Thank you for this fun educational session. Marilyn Pardine
So interesting! Thanks
Thanks for sharing!
Fascinating! Now if I write a character who’s acting in early movies, I’ll have to figure out how to write a “correct” English accent.8-)
As someone who took electives in Linguistics for fun in college, I LOVED this!
I love this stuff! Originally my linguist character in Word Fall used a Trans-Atlantic accent as a fun joke for herself. Language is so slippery. Thanks for sharing!
Entertaining and interesting. Thanks!