American Pronunciations

[Minou]

Went down to Grand Forks, ND for a night this week, and while I'm aware that there are regional variations in Canada, I'm completely amazed how words can be pronounced completely differently just across the border!

The most notable this trip: Marriott Hotels. Everyone was bent on pronouncing it "Marry-OTT". Normally, the pronunciation of that name kind of fades away at the end to sound kind of like "it", and there they were, STRESSING the end sound and basing the pronunciation on the spelling!

Would the founder of the company really have pronounced his name that way?

[alicia]

My two fave American pronunciations are "foy-er" and "nitche" for foyer and niche. I cring each time I hear them.

That being said I have a funny pronunciation of a few diff words because of my NS accent...

[lecale]

.

[GoJays]

i'd fit right in then, i pronounce it marry-ott

[Minou]

i'd fit right in then, i pronounce it marry-ott

Well, maybe... most MLB baseball teams are American...

The funny thing is, I looked up some commercials, and they don't pronounce it Marry-OTT.

[Pinkypie]

I work for the Marriott and call it the marryOTT too, we all do there!

[Minou]

A Marriott commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HRclQ5ONFg

And the founder himself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UX-G...F8B6B1A510406A

[DaveP]

A Marriott commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HRclQ5ONFg

And the founder himself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UX-G...F8B6B1A510406A

Hmm, live and learn I guess. I always thought it was MarryOTT too. Of course, I spent a lot of time doing customer service over the phone for American companies so I sound pretty American - in a bland American TV/northern states way.

ETA: Though I can switch into Cape Bretonese at the drop of a hat that would leave most of you baffled.

[krysta lynne]

or when they pronounce coupon. cuuupon LMFAO! i cringe

[DaveP]

or when they pronounce coupon. cuuupon LMFAO! i cringe

Now THAT one annoys me!

[alicia]

ETA: Though I can switch into Cape Bretonese at the drop of a hat that would leave most of you baffled.

I'll translate for you

or when they pronounce coupon. cuuupon LMFAO! i cringe

"Q-pon" is the absolute worst!

[abbasgirl]

Sorry, guys! I pronounce it "Q-pon". I've heard it's sacrilege, but it's too late for me to switch it. I've been doing it wrong all my life. I'm pretty sure I learned it from my Mom, but I don't know where she got it from. She was born in Holland and hasn't had a lot of exposure to Americans.

[lecale]

.

[DaveP]

Yeah my dad, Q-Pon for coupon and kumarrt for K-Mart. Go figure.

My grandma called it KMark, for some reason.

[GoJays]

Well, maybe... most MLB baseball teams are American...

The funny thing is, I looked up some commercials, and they don't pronounce it Marry-OTT.