BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: DMcG
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 02:37 PM

More scones ... yes, I've always known them as skons in the north and s(cone)s in the south. (The story I told didn't get it wrong - we were supposedly trying each others delicacy)

As for Newcastle, I've always known it as something like Nygh-CASS-le . Certainly not New, its a totally different, short, strangulated sound! And the three syllables are the same length.

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Genie
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 08:59 PM

Well, I know that English -- especially as spoken in the US -- is very inconsistent in its pronunciation rules. But what I've never understood is why the Brits say "to-mah-to" but also say "po-tay-to."

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Escamillo
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 11:07 PM

Thanks Genie, that's much more clear: to-mah-to or to-may-to. In Buenos Aires many years ago when I was a child, all English Schools and private teachers were Brits or have studied in a British institution. Anything American was seen as second-class. (We pupils, too) Then we learnt to-mah-to and po-tay-to, but did never dare to ask why.

Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Shields Folk
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:24 AM

Nycasil or "the toon"

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Mr Happy
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:49 AM

gateshead=geetst

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 04:47 PM

Am I correct that no one in the States actually pronounces potato "potahto"? (Which rather makes nonsense of the song.)

(And the common pronuncuiation here is either "pottiyta" or "pottayter")

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Kim C
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 05:57 PM

And don't forget the baNONnas.

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 07:30 PM

At this point in this thread (which btw is never going to win the "Least Tedious Mudcat Thread of 2002" Award ) it might be appropriate to point out yet another pronunciation of "Scone".

For the benefit of any brave souls contemplating making a pilgrimage to Scone in Perthshire (where the monarchs of Scotland were wont to be crowned in times of yore), it should be noted that "Scone" in this context is pronounced "SKOON".

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: Hrothgar
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 06:58 AM

I don't know that we should accept a Scots pronunciation of anything. They speak less English than the Yanks.

:-))

Subject: RE: BS: Do you say 'tomato' or 'tomato?'
From: John Hardly
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 07:07 AM

pronunciation has never been my for-tay.