Did any of you pick up on those interesting verbalizations by the VP candidates in the debate? While talking about the past war in Bosnia, Biden called Bosians ‘Bosniacs’ while Palin constantly used Bush’s illiterate pronunciation of the word nuclear.
While it struck many as odd or funny, it turns out Bosniac or Bosniak is an actual term for those from the region, so Professor Biden was correct in his use of it.
On the other hand, I wonder if Palin’s pronunciation of nuclear as “nuke-u-lar” was accidental or on purpose. Since Bush pronounces the word that way, was she mimicking him to subconsciously tie herself to Bush and his related policies for those who know the correct way? Or is it just that, like Bush, she doesn’t know any better?
Whatever the reason, it stuck out like a sore thumb when she said it. Over and over and …
As a few posters have already observed, new-Q-lar is a PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE pronunciation of nuclear.
I know it hurts, but life’s tough sometimes.
I have a question for the Dvorak crowd, who look down their oh-so-educated noses at the Q-crowd:
how do you pronounce “comfortable” ?
(or shibboleth, for that matter.)
Bush’s pronunciation is accepted, check a dictionary.
President Carter pronounced the “nuclear” the same way and he was a nuclear engineer. I went to college in Georgia in the 80’s and people who pronounced it the same as Carter & Bush were labeled as a “brain dead liberal”. Funny 20 years later only illiterate conservatives use that pronunciation.
Youse should vote for a VP with a more accrit pronunckiation of nukyalur.
Ya’ll think so too?
Ax me whit I think. Dares ya
If you are going to make fun of people for the way their section of the country talks go right ahead because they are making fun of you and the stupid way you talk like some stupid ignorate biggoted jerk.
“If you aint got my accent yah don’t know nothin,” is a very common character flaw.
Accent is one thing… proper pronunciation is quite another.
Click here to find out everything you could possibly want to know about the mispronunciation of the word nuclear.
#63 – hhopper
“However, Arnold Zwicky notes that [kli.ər] presents no difficulty for English speakers in words such as pricklier.”
I think Bush and Palin should start saying “prick-u-lar”. For consistency, you know?
New-Q-lar. Christ. I’ll bet they say “ahn-ree” instead of “ornery”, too. Dipsticks.
Malcolm said, on October 3rd, 2008 at 8:03 am The fact remains that Palin is not qualified.
All you educated folks do not seem to realise that to be qualified for prez you got to be 35 years old and american born. Thats it you do not even have to have a GED. Or a drivers licence. Or know how to sssssspell. ;>)
Yeah, nukelar thing was one of the distrubing and painful things to watch and hear(but by no means the only) in Mrs. Palin’s expose.
As for the “Bosniak” – all people living in Bosnia are Bosnians, but only Bosnian muslims are Bosniaks (so am I, by the way, so I know what I am talking about). Unlike his critics, Mr Biden knows all that nuances wery well, apperently, and he was right in using that term.
I’m from the south, and I say “nuke u ler”. It is not an illiterate/dumb thing, its a regional pronounciation. I hate Bush as much as the next person but you have serious issues if you constantly get worked up because of how people pronounce a single word.
#69 – Daniel
>>It is not an illiterate/dumb thing, its a
>>regional pronounciation.
No, it’s an illiterate/ dumb thing. Like “liberry” or “axe” (“I’m axe you jes one more time”) or “asterick” or “eck-cetera”.
This is not a potato/ potahto thing. It’s an inability pronounce a simple word correctly.
Hah, Mr. Mustard, those are two more that irk me, that I left off my list. People are just plain lazy with proper English nowadays.
Another one is centrifugal. Many pronounce it centrifical.