The key to pronouncing Edinburgh like a Scot is to remember that we talk fast and don’t dwell on the vowels. So the way we say it sounds more like “Edin-bra” with the second part said faster and softer than the first. Another place name that always seems to trip up the visitor is “Pitlochry”.
Why do Americans mispronounce Edinburgh?
They’re two different names with different pronunciations, and the question is why they’re spelled similarly. The answer is that somebody decided to spell “Pittsburgh” without considering the spelling and pronunciation of “Edinburgh.”
Is the G silent in Edinburgh?
2) Edinburgh, Scotland (eh-din-BRUH)
It’s eh-din-BRUH — silent “g”.
Why is Edinburgh spelled like that?
Some sources claim Edinburgh’s name is derived from an Old English form such as Edwinesburh (Edwin’s fort), in reference to Edwin, king of Deira and Bernicia in the 7th century.
How do Scots say Glasgow?
Promoted Stories. Of course Glaswegians, and the majority of Scots we would like to think, pronounce it as ‘Glaz-go‘, just as ABBA did in the famous line off their Super Trouper (to rhyme with ‘last show’).
How do Brits pronounce Edinburgh?
The key to pronouncing Edinburgh like a Scot is to remember that we talk fast and don’t dwell on the vowels. So the way we say it sounds more like “Edin-bra” with the second part said faster and softer than the first. Another place name that always seems to trip up the visitor is “Pitlochry”.
Do British people say caramel or Carmel?
Carmel vs Caramel Pronunciation
The three most popular pronunciations of caramel are: “KARR-mul,” “KARR-uh-mel,” and “KARR-uh-mul.” Generally, British speakers prefer the pronunciation “KARR-uh-mel,” while different regions in America favor all three pronunciations.
Why do Americans say Carmel?
You see, the word caramel is derived from the 18th-century Spanish turned French word caramelo, which is pronounced as car-a-mello. So, North American English speakers adopted the “car” pronunciation from the original word, whereas British speakers tend to pronounce caramel as “care-a-muhl.”
Why do Brits pronounce Ibiza?
Ibiza is a Spanish island, and the “z” in Castilian Spanish–Spanish spoken in Spain–is pronounced “th.” The Brits are simply pronouncing the island the way they have heard the Spanish speaking about their own country.
What is the hardest country to pronounce?
Laos. Laos is one of the most contested countries when it comes to pronunciation. The nation in Southeast Asia is often referred to as “Lao” (rhyming with cow), but locals say “Laos” as if it rhymes with “blouse,” according to Tripsavvy.
Why did the British stop pronouncing the R?
This split between rhotic and non-rhotic pronunciation has its origins in London in the 1850s. Working-class speakers began dropping the /r/ sound at the ends of words. Back then, this was considered lazy, vulgar and an undesirable way of speaking.
What is the hardest place to pronounce?
After drawing up a seed list of cities, the team then looked at how many times each place had been listened to in order to learn the correct pronunciation. And, with 7,000,000 listens on Forvo, the team found that Rio De Janeiro was the most difficult to pronounce city in the world.
Why do Scottish people say J?
She told Glasgow Live: “The Oxford English Dictionary is right that the Scottish pronunciation would have been more common elsewhere formerly. ‘J’ has only relatively recently been considered a separate letter of the English (and Scots) alphabet.
What do Scottish people call Edinburgh?
Auld Reekie
The city is affectionately nicknamed Auld Reekie, Scots for Old Smoky, for the views from the country of the smoke-covered Old Town.
Why do the British pronounce Ralph as Rafe?
As the Oxford authors explain, “In late Middle English the diphthong -au- was sometimes simplified to long -a-, later pronounced ‘ay’ as in modern English day, which accounts for Rafe. This pronunciation of the personal name Ralph is still occasionally found in modern times.”
Do Scots still say Ken?
11. Ken. Pronounced as written. Although it technically means ‘know’, some Scots will use it to punctuate their sentences till the point where it feels like it has lost all meaning.
Is Och Aye noo offensive?
“Och aye the noo!”
This is one of those Scottish phrases that can be heard in countless parodies aimed at poking fun at the Scots’ dialect and accent. Its direct English translation is “Oh yes, just now”. And, while some Scots may chuckle along with you, it is considered quite offensive by others.
Why do Scots say Ken for know?
Because it is a Scots word, it is a verb, “to ken”, to know. It comes from the same place as “Ich kenne” (German), in the sense of “to be familiar with”. So you would say “Ich kenne Thomas”, but use the verb “weiß” to know a fact – “Ja, ich weiß das” means “yes, I know that”.
Why is Celtic pronounced with a soft C?
This is because language historians desired the word to better reflect its Greek and Classical Latin origins. The soft “c” sound is usually reserved for sports teams now, like the Boston Celtics.
How do British say Worcestershire?
Most travelers to the U.K. (or buyers of fine condiments) are probably aware that Worcestershire isn’t a four-syllable word with the “-shire” at the end, pronounced the way a Hobbit would; it’s “WUSS-tur-shur.” “Gloucester” and “Leicester” have the same silent “ces” syllable.
How do British people say latte?
Below is the UK transcription for ‘latte’: Modern IPA: lɑ́ːtɛj. Traditional IPA: ˈlɑːteɪ 2 syllables: “LAA” + “tay”