To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=23657
17 messages

Help: on Biblical English: pronunciation of 'shew'

25 Jul 00 - 12:53 AM (#264066)
Subject: on Byblical English
From: Escamillo

At my choir we are studying Elgar's The Kingdom, and there is a discussion on the pronounciation of the word SHEW. The context is:
Thou, Lord Which knowest the hearts of all men,
shew of these two the one whom Thou hast chosen.
The language advisors stated that it should be pronounced as SHOW, with "o", but I'm still in doubt. The only available CD by a British choir is not clear, and I hear more "SHOO" than "SHOW".
Thanks for any help. Un abrazo - Andrés


25 Jul 00 - 01:01 AM (#264068)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: GUEST,Banjo Johnny

I think it is "show" with a long OH, since that's the way it is generally pronounced today. However, sing it the way your choir director wants! == Johnny


25 Jul 00 - 01:14 AM (#264071)
Subject: RE: Help: on Biblical English
From: Joe Offer

Well, Andrés, I hadn't know this, but my Webster's New World Dictionary says it's pronounced exactly the same as "show." The dictionary says it's an archaic (old) form of "show."

Of course, a very archaic American, the late Ed Sullivan, always said that tonight we were going to have a "really big shoe."

Oh, and don't try to learn English from a choir - choir directors are all weird. This evening our choir director wanted us to sing about the "Lord of the Dawnce." And if we don't sing it her way, she'll kill us. Choir directors can be quite violent if they don't get their way.
-Joe Offer-


25 Jul 00 - 01:39 AM (#264077)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Brendy

This is a Blue Clicky Thing that links you (if you click it, of course), to www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=shew
Just in case anybody wondered what it was.

B.


25 Jul 00 - 01:40 AM (#264078)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Escamillo

Thanks a lot, Johnny and Joe. No, I knew that I can't expect to learn English from directors (*BG*) but instead, it is good to correct them from time to time.
This performance will be at the Colón Theatre, where many authentic British people will attend (possibly the Ambassador) so he can't refuse corrections. :))
This time he wins.
Un abrazo - Andrés


25 Jul 00 - 01:50 AM (#264084)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Escamillo

Thanks Brendy too, who crossposted with me. I bookmarked the link.


25 Jul 00 - 05:16 AM (#264132)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: IanC

"SHOW" is correct. If you listen carefully, most English vowels are pronounced as dipthongs (that is two vowel sounds merged together). SHEW/SHOW is pronounced E-O. Spelling wasn't regularised until the 19th Century but "Shew" was a pretty common spelling at the time.

Cheers!
Ian


25 Jul 00 - 07:22 AM (#264147)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Peter K (Fionn)

I believe GBS spelt it this way all the time, along with disgarding apostrophes and other indiosyncrasies. He even had it this way in a title - "The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet" in which I have never heard it pronounced any way but as "showing". (I assume "byblical" is pronounced as in "biblical"?—*BG*)


25 Jul 00 - 07:44 AM (#264160)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Micca

Yeah the pronunciation is the same, but interestingly the "modern" spelling "show" reduces the effectiveness of the famous Spoonerism, in church " Is this pie occopewed" " Yes but if you like I'll sew you to another sheet"


25 Jul 00 - 06:46 PM (#264580)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: oggie

I asked my son, who is a chorister, and depending on the choir master it can be SHOW or SHOE. Seems to be no hard and fast rule and he has sung it both ways. It's like other works in the English choral tradition - pronunciations can be adjusted to fit the music and the rhyme.

All the best

Steve


25 Jul 00 - 06:59 PM (#264589)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Peter T.

A more more interesting topic brought up by this quotation -- I assume it is accurate from the King James -- is the use of "which" replacing "who". I can't think of another example. My Fowler's (The Bible of Grammaticians) makes no reference to this kind of thing at all.

yours, Peter T.


26 Jul 00 - 05:36 AM (#264857)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Escamillo

Oops.. my first request for advice should have been on the word "biblical" - you see how the sound of the words can drive us to confooseeon ?
Steve, then I was not so wrong when I heared something similar to "shoe" in that CD, recorded by the London Philarmonic Choir and Orchestra (Sir Adrian Boult). Ok, they can say "shoe" as Ed sullivan did, but we Latin Americans could be thrown to the lions before any discussion..
Yes Peter, very interesting the use of Which, (capitalized) instead of Who.
Un abrazo - Andrés


26 Jul 00 - 05:49 AM (#264861)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Joe Offer

When in doubt, Andrés, mumble.
-Joe-


26 Jul 00 - 06:13 AM (#264864)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Escamillo

HAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAA ! No doubt you are a chorist, Joe ! :)))))))))))


26 Jul 00 - 08:56 AM (#264907)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: MMario

English does not have a pronoun for dieties....I am given to understand that "Which" was used instead of "Who" to show that God was not a person.


26 Jul 00 - 09:11 AM (#264915)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Ringer

As I learned it, "Our Father, which art in heaven..."


26 Jul 00 - 09:25 AM (#264923)
Subject: RE: Help: on Byblical English
From: Peter T.

Yes, of course, Lord's Prayer!, thanks B.E. -- interesting, never noticed it before -- a neutral second person singular (or plural). yours, Peter T.