Eye-rack? Eye-rack!

[tavalon]

:rant:

If we're going to completely destroy a country, couldn't we at the very least, show them the respect of pronouncing the name of the country correctly? Sure, I know Dumbya said Iraq that way but he's a fucking moron. I heard VP Biden say it that way this morning and it's just like fingers across a chalkboard. He is too smart and too worldly to pronounce Iraq incorrectly but there it was. Why?

:rant:

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. makes me want to go Nook You Lar when I hear it that way!

:rofl:

Seriously, I agree - I used to think the Eye Rack vs EEE Rock thing was a way to separate left from right, but it seems to be more muddled. And the Nuk You Lar thing also seems to cross political leanings, for whatever reason.

[tavalon]

4. Actually, Carter was the first person I heard using that abysmal

nuclear term.

I think "our side" is worried that they will come off as seeming "elitist", when in fact, they would just come off as worldly and intelligent, both of which are good things. I think.

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. +1! The Carter mispronunciation is indeed a mystery.

I actually tend to blame the Texas idiot himself for making willful ignorance something to be admired. Worldly and intelligent should never go out of style as an admirable aspiration....I sincerely hope!

:hi:

[tavalon]

12. Wasn't Carter a nuclear engineer or am I remembering wrong?

BTW, that would be the Kennebunkport idiot. I know he adopted Texas but I think it was just because he liked to put on the accent. I suspect he thought the nice slow drawl would give him time to think. It never worked.

[Zebedeo]

18. It's not a mispronunciation

according to Websters. It is, instead, an acceptable alternative pronunciation.

[NRaleighLiberal]

19. Yeah, I knew about that but it is weird, because it doesn't make phonetic sense!

we have "i before e except after c"

I guess the nukular pronunciation of nuclear would be

"l before e except u before the l..."...ah, forget it.

I never hear biologist say that there is something in the nukulus of the cell....or same with physics - the nukulus of the atom....

[Zebedeo]

20. language is dynamic, not static

I have in the past been a "purist" or "traditionalist" when it comes to language, but have over the years come to the realization that language is how people use it, and it is ever changing. Just look at writings from 200 years ago, and you will see that there are marked changes in usage and spelling and grammar and punctuation. Go back 200 more, and you have the language of the King James Bible (1611 IIRC).

Like it or not, "nook you ler" is how a whole lot of people pronounce nuclear, and it has become an accepted pronunciation.

Good way to win a bar bet, BTW.

[NRaleighLiberal]

22. Great idea!

:hi:

[Fumesucker]

2. Pandering to the Bubba demographic no doubt.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I totally agree with you. "The celebration of American ignorance."

[tavalon]

6. But Biden isn't stupid

so he must just be pandering to the stupid. I get tired of watching such pandering.

[pitohui]

7. it is certainly ignorant to nitpick everyone who doesn't pronounce a word your way

my mom and teachers pointed that out to us in first grade, i guess it takes longer for some folks to figure it out

me, i blame the parents

let biden speak freely, i think he's a hoot myself and not because of any nitpicks about pronunciation, nice to have a guy tell em like he sees em once in awhile

[tavalon]

11. Yeah, Biden is a hoot. I like Biden.

And really, he was just the one who pronounced it that way today. I picked on him when really, it bugs me to no end that most Americans can't be bothered to know much of anything outside of our precious borders. There's a reason why I, and many others, say we're from Canada when we happen to be in Europe.

So, you blame my parents for my preference to not sound or be so provincial? Funny in ways you can't even imagine.

[polmaven]

13. Well, sure -

'cause the Iraqi people sure don't know how to pronounce their own country's name better than we do, right?

[fascisthunter]

17. "your" way.... no, it's about correct pronunciation of a Nation

we should know more about since our military illegally invaded and occupied it how long ago?

[pitohui]

5. believe it or not, in english, esp. american english there are regional pronunciations

i'm sorry if it offends the purist to learn that american english, just like any other language, has great differences in regional pronunciation, that have nothing to do w. the intelligence of the person speaking

the person who assumes that all southerners are stupid because they drawl, for example, is the classic example, but here is another

no one in america, except perhaps a displaced iraqi pronounces the word as it is said in iraq, and you know what? it don't matter, as long as we all know what and where we're talking about, it's fine

how do you pronounce paris and lisbon? yeah, i thought so...

[tavalon]

10. Well, phonetically:

Pahree and Leesbon with a soft n. I try to pronounce countries (and cities)names as the people who populate them do. I was raised in the south and I can drawl with the best of 'em (channeling my inner Ivins) but I just think it's respectful to attempt to be more of a world aware person. And I hate to tell you this (no I don't - I'm lying) but the southern drawl does make one sound stupid. Even my PharmD cousins sound like they have IQs under 100. I think we in America are just a little too provincial for our own good.

We've shown Iraq so little respect, don't you think we could offer up this one teensy, weensy, itsy, bitsy little thing?

[Canuckistanian]

8. It reminds me of the way people used to say "EYE-talians"

Which made no sense, because the country wasn't pronounced "EYE-taly"

[ellenfl]

14. if you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't be allowed to invade it. eom

[tavalon]

15. Now, there's a great slogan!

Words to live by.

[fascisthunter]

16. just shows how ignorant people are

[Codeine]

21. Do we call Germany "Deutschland"?

Do we say "Italy" or "Italia"? Do most of us properly pronounce Brazil's name?

Listen, it's nails-on-chalkboard to me as well, but we localize the names and pronunciations of other nations all the time, and those nations do as well. It's certainly not a sign of low intelligence or education.