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Bob Cunningham
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:02 am
Post subject: "nucular" and "Isreeal" |
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People fuss a lot about the natural metathesis that appears
in the popular pronunciation ['nukj@l@r] ("NOO kyuh luhr")
for "nuclear". But I don't hear much about the
pronunciation ['Izri@l] ("IZ ree uhl") for "Israel", which
is just as metathetic.
I was taught to say ['IzreI,El] ("IZ ray Ell"), but anymore
I think I usually say ['Izr@l] ("IZ ruhl").
The _Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary_ (_RHWUD_)
actually has the pronunciation ['Izri@l] listed first. And
_The Cambridge Dictionary_ (1993) has for "israelite" ['Iz
ri:@laIt] ("IZ ree uh lite"), so metathesis wins again.
The _New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary_ has Israel
/"IzreIl/ ("IZ rail"), but Israelite /"Izr<schwa>lVIt/ ("IZ
ruh lite"), the latter being reminiscent of my ['Izr@l] for
"Israel".
_RHWUD_ has under "nuclear" "or, by metathesis, ky@ l@r",
with no pejorative remark, so what's all the fuss about?
We have scads of metathesized words in English. I don't see
why "nooky@l@r" should be singled out for scorn and
loathing. I think it's a satisfactory pronunciation, just
as satisfactory as "third" and "bird", which are also words
that were formed by metathesis.
An etymological entry in _RHWUD_ says "Israel" comes
ultimately from "Heb Yisr[a-macron]'[e-macron]l lit., God
perseveres]", which seems sorta like the "IZ ray ell" I was
taught years ago.
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Michael Hamm
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:02 am
Post subject: Re: "nucular" and "Isreeal" |
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Today, Bob Cunningham <exw6sxq@earthlink.net> abed:
| Quote: | _New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary_ has Israel /"IzreIl/ ("IZ
rail")
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As do I (born in 1978, raised in NYC by orthodox Jews).
| Quote: | _RHWUD_ says "Israel" comes ultimately from "Heb
Yisr[a-macron]'[e-macron]l lit., God perseveres]", which seems
sorta like the "IZ ray ell"
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Don't know what their symbols mean, but, at least now, the Hebrew word is
pronounced something like /jIsrA'el/.
Michael Hamm
AM, Math, Wash. U. St. Louis
msh210@math.wustl.edu Standard disclaimers:
http://math.wustl.edu/~msh210/ ... legal.html |
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Areff
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:05 am
Post subject: Re: "nucular" and "Isreeal" |
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Michael Hamm wrote:
| Quote: | Today, Bob Cunningham <exw6sxq@earthlink.net> abed:
_New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary_ has Israel /"IzreIl/ ("IZ
rail")
As do I (born in 1978, raised in NYC by orthodox Jews).
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As do I (born in 19**, raised in New York [Largest City in America] by
orthodox New York residents). Till Sparky posted what he did, I had for
some reason thought that my "IZ-rail" pronunciation was nonstandard. I
feel more confident in saying now that it is the Standard New York
Pronunciation.
--
Steny '08!
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:05 am
Post subject: Re: "nucular" and "Isreeal" |
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Bob Cunningham filted:
| Quote: |
I don't hear much about the
pronunciation ['Izri@l] ("IZ ree uhl") for "Israel", which
is just as metathetic.
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That's the way I was taught to say it...we *sing* it ['Izrajel]....
| Quote: | The _Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary_ (_RHWUD_)
actually has the pronunciation ['Izri@l] listed first. And
_The Cambridge Dictionary_ (1993) has for "israelite" ['Iz
ri:@laIt] ("IZ ree uh lite"), so metathesis wins again.
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Can we blame Desmond Dekker for this one?...r
--
"Get up in the mornin' sleeping for bread, sir.
Sold out to every monk and beef-head.
Oh Oh
Me ears are alight." |
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