Sorry. It is indeed a recognized alternative pronunciation.
comfortably. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comfortably (accessed: November 12, 2007).
"Language change tends to come about as generations of speakers shorten or simplify long or awkward pronunciations."
Bullshit. Most language changes now come about because people are piss ignorant (sound changed to "ignernt", I reckon). I can't even tell you how many times every week I hear talking heads mispronounce words I know damn well they just found in a thesaurus. Same with people looking to impress others with their supposed vast vocabulary.
OA! I was in a 'rock group' in the 60's ("band" had a Sousa connotation; now I like Sousa) with a deliberately obscure name. The drummer came up with it. I asked how. He said "I looked it up in a Therosius." I gave him credit for his honesty.
I think I've found the problem. After his incident in the swamp, Carter started keeping his quail guns loaded with buckshot instead of #8 shot.
ReplyDeleteOops.
I.....have become, com-for-tab-ly numb.
ReplyDeleteYeah, just wait. Bring that little pirogue back around here again, peanut breath. I got yer paddle riiiitght heeeere....
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Rabbit.
It is in fact pronounced "kumf'-terb-lee" everywhere I've ever lived. How do they pronounce it in Knoxville?
ReplyDeleteI suppose someone saying "ecks-cape" instead of "ess-cape" would send you right through the overhead.
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, people go fishin' in the crick.
ReplyDeleteIt's dern comf-terb-lee iffin ya warsh it enuff.
ReplyDeleteSorry. It is indeed a recognized alternative pronunciation.
ReplyDeletecomfortably. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/comfortably (accessed: November 12, 2007).
This evolution of pronunciation is called sound change, and specifically, metathesis.
Language change tends to come about as generations of speakers shorten or simplify long or awkward pronunciations.
Consider this: do you pronounce "iron" as I-run? :)
"Language change tends to come about as generations of speakers shorten or simplify long or awkward pronunciations."
ReplyDeleteBullshit. Most language changes now come about because people are piss ignorant (sound changed to "ignernt", I reckon). I can't even tell you how many times every week I hear talking heads mispronounce words I know damn well they just found in a thesaurus. Same with people looking to impress others with their supposed vast vocabulary.
[Homer Simpson]"Nook-yoo-lur. It's pronounced 'Nook-yoo-lur'."[/Homer Simpson]
ReplyDeleteDamndest thing, the press/talking heads made fun of Whore-hey the Shrub for that pronunciation...and now almost all of them say it the same way.
ReplyDeleteAt least GWB pronounces all three syllables, as opposed to Jimmah's "nuklar".
ReplyDeleteOA! I was in a 'rock group' in the 60's ("band" had a Sousa connotation; now I like Sousa) with a deliberately obscure name. The drummer came up with it. I asked how. He said "I looked it up in a Therosius." I gave him credit for his honesty.
ReplyDelete