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Post by Moose on Mar 16, 2015 21:24:55 GMT
I love Big Bang theory but one thing that always annoys me is that SHeldon - he is the only one I've noticed it in but perhaps they all do it - pronounces the word 'the' as, well, 'the', even when it precedes a vowel. I am not explaining that very well am I? Here in the UK, at least, if the word the is followed by a letter beginning with a vowel, it is pronounced 'thee' in stead of 'the,' in the same way that 'an' and 'a' are used differently according to the first letter of the word following. I'd never worked out if it was just an idioscycracy of Jim Parsons or a cultural thing but I heard it again in an American song yesterday. Anyone clarify?
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Post by Miisa on Mar 16, 2015 21:40:35 GMT
?
I can't say I have ever noticed different "the" pronounciations before different words...?
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Post by jayme on Mar 16, 2015 23:02:05 GMT
I think we pronounce it "thee" before a vowel, but I never really notice stuff like that.
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Post by Moose on Mar 16, 2015 23:34:57 GMT
I always do. Every time he says 'the' before a vowel it is like ... like ... being skinned alive and dipped in vinegar *nods*
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Post by tangent on Mar 16, 2015 23:59:06 GMT
I am not explaining that very well am I? Sorry, no. Can you give examples?
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Post by Moose on Mar 17, 2015 0:20:19 GMT
Well not really when typing. You must know the difference between the pronounciation of the and thee though?
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Post by Kye on Mar 17, 2015 0:22:57 GMT
I know exactly what you mean, Jo. Before a consonant the "the" ends in what we call a "schwa" --a dropped sound like "uh". Before a vowel it's an "ee" sound, like you said. (My old course in Phonetics comes back to me..)
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Post by Moose on Mar 17, 2015 0:24:25 GMT
Yay! a sister!
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Post by tangent on Mar 17, 2015 0:30:11 GMT
*blinks*
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Post by Kye on Mar 17, 2015 0:32:51 GMT
My old accent from Southern Ontario didn't use the "ee" sound before a vowel. I used to say "Thuh apple" and "thuh airplane" for example.
I don't watch Big Bang, so I can't comment on what the guy does, but there are regional differences.
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Post by Moose on Mar 17, 2015 2:34:19 GMT
It could be just an accent thing. But I always want to jump up and slap the screen
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Post by raspberrybullets on Mar 17, 2015 10:08:29 GMT
I believe here in Oz we use both because when I think of saying "The End", I can say it both ways and it sounds OK.
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Post by Miisa on Mar 17, 2015 12:01:05 GMT
I have heard the thuh or thee sounds by some people, but just though that was how they always said it because of their accent and never linked it to preceding a vowel. However, my "the" is the same before apple or dog. When I try to make it a thuh or thee sound I just sound foolish to my own ears. So I guess I do it as well. Though I will say thee when emphasizing "the".
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Post by tangent on Mar 17, 2015 12:01:36 GMT
I understand now what you mean. It hadn't occurred to me that we pronounce 'the' differently in 'the apple' and 'the tree'.
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Post by Alvamiga on Mar 17, 2015 15:38:53 GMT
It could be just an accent thing. But I always want to jump up and slap the screen Could get expensive in laptops!
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Post by Miisa on Mar 17, 2015 15:44:23 GMT
I still can't hear it. Not in myself or others.
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Post by Moose on Mar 17, 2015 22:03:34 GMT
Really? Get Joe to say it down the phone to you?
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Post by Kye on Mar 17, 2015 22:55:51 GMT
Try saying "Thee table" and Thuh orange" and see how that feels.
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Post by Moose on Mar 18, 2015 0:35:52 GMT
but with more of v sound maybe. VVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE table. That said finns aren't good with Vs iirc
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Post by jayme on Mar 18, 2015 1:17:53 GMT
Finns are hilariously terrible with S's. Say, "I sit and I shit, so I shit where I sit. So where shall I sit?"
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Post by Moose on Mar 18, 2015 1:41:54 GMT
Hmm I've never noticed that *looks round for a Finn, spies a tuxedo fleeting past*
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Post by Miisa on Mar 18, 2015 9:00:43 GMT
"Too tee to töörti-tuu. " A common room service joke. But yes, one sibilant is all you get. You keep making shit, sit and zit the same-sounding, fools...
My colleagues agree, I sound ostentatously posh if I try to say "thuh orange".
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Post by jayme on Mar 19, 2015 22:14:00 GMT
BBT is on tonight. I will have to listen for the thes.
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Post by jayme on Mar 20, 2015 0:56:27 GMT
Sheldon was not on tonight because of a STUPID BASKETBALL GAME! Grrrrr.... I thought this was what ESPN was supposed to be for. *angry face*
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Post by Moose on Mar 20, 2015 1:08:23 GMT
I shall join you in .. being very cross
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Post by jayme on Mar 20, 2015 1:19:08 GMT
Thank you.
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Post by Moose on Mar 20, 2015 1:39:33 GMT
Can I stop being cross now? Also which episode are you on?
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Post by jayme on Mar 20, 2015 1:48:37 GMT
Last week they had a dinner at Wolowitz's place because the freezer broke and the last food his mom ever cooked had thawed.
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Post by Moose on Mar 20, 2015 1:51:55 GMT
ah that's the one I watched tonight. Hmph that means I will have to wait two week for a new one (I watch on a US site ... dunno where they're at on UK TV)
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Post by Moose on Mar 20, 2015 1:53:22 GMT
I am actually quite intrigued by this storyline tho - did they write his mom out in a hurry cos the real life actress died? (as I gather she did). I figured the whole Stuart thing was gonna go a whole lot further - tho I wonder if they will make it that he stands to inherit the house
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