MAYOR ands MARE homophonous?

<<Re: "Before you attempt to post tripe..."
No my friend. Unfortunately, it is your message that is superfluous tripe.>>

No, Brennus, it was your message that was tripe. Claiming that only 'uneducated' people pronounce 'mayor' and 'mare' in the same way proves only your own ignorance. They're exactly the same to me, and I assure you I'm far from uneducated. Still, this is about what I'd expect from a man who once claimed I was ignorant of my own country's history because I said that 'queue' is a common word in BrE.

<<Only in the mouths of some uneducated people otherwise 'mayor' is a two syllable word (may-er) and mare' a one syllable word (mair).>>

<<No my friend. Unfortunately, it is your message that is superfluous tripe.>>

Brennus is displaying his usual ignorance once again. Pronouncing those two words the same is, in fact, standard for RP, and there are many Americans who pronounce them the same as well.

Let me make it clear that I am strongly opposed to Brennus being a moderator.

<<Only in the mouths of some uneducated people otherwise 'mayor' is a two syllable word (may-er) and mare' a one syllable word (mair).>>

OK, I think what Brennus means is that in North America (and ONLY in NA) it is more common for educated, refined people to pronounce the two words differently and homophonous pronunciations tend to be more common amongst less educated, less refined people. This is especially true in the New York metro area. So, within the framework of NA and NA ONLY, Brennus DOES have a point. The statement he made above ('mayor' is a two syllable word (may-er) and mare' a one syllable word (mair) is true within the context of General American English. However, he simply should have stated what the parameters were.

However, to say that ALL people who pronounce then the same are uneducated is not true since in Britain and Australia smoothing is common (I think even among non-RP speakers which is the overwhelming majority of the population - even in Britain alone).

Now, wothout trying to make generalisations, it would stand to reason that most RP speakers (even non-native ones) tend to be somewhat educated and refined. I include non-native RP speakers here simply because an uneducated, unrefined person is unlikely to go through ALL the trouble to learn the vowel system of RP and all its rules of assimilation, ellision, and smoothing.

So, to make a long story short, let's take the two "standard" or "reference" accents.

1) In RP "mayor" and "mare" are homophonous.
2) In GAE "mayor" and "mare" are NOT homophonous.

Please note that the phonetic realisation of "mayor" among American people who treat it as monosyllabic is not necessarily the same as the RP phonetic realisation of "mayor" even though RP also treats it as monosyllabic.

These two words may very well be homophonous in SE US English or in a New York accent but NOT in GAE. Most educated people in the US (remember I said MOST, not all) tend to speak GAE or at least have the capacity to do so. I can't say the same about RP in Britain - it seems to be going in the same direction as Latin.

<< Brennus is displaying his usual ignorance once again. Pronouncing those two words the same is, in fact, standard for RP, and there are many Americans who pronounce them the same as well.

Let me make it clear that I am strongly opposed to Brennus being a moderator. >>

Do I sense a pattern already?, it seems Lazar keeps finding ingenious ways of insulting people: strike two!! - I'm waiting for the third strike.

Stan, are you trying to pick a fight with me or something?

>>Brennus is displaying his usual ignorance once again. Pronouncing those two words the same is, in fact, standard for RP, and there are many Americans who pronounce them the same as well.

Let me make it clear that I am strongly opposed to Brennus being a moderator.<<

Seconded.

>>Do I sense a pattern already?, it seems Lazar keeps finding ingenious ways of insulting people: strike two!! - I'm waiting for the third strike.<<

What is with you being so combative in general here, anyways?

Lazar, do you want a fight?

And if anyone has got something to say, I'll be glad if they could say it to my face!!.

>>Lazar, do you want a fight?<<

It does sound like you want one, it must be said.

"mayor" and "mare" are different for me. "mayor" is /m{I.@`/ (two syllables) and "mare" is /mer/.

<<Lazar, do you want a fight?>>

I think it's actually you who wants a fight, not Lazar.

<<No, Brennus, it was your message that was tripe. Claiming that only 'uneducated' people pronounce 'mayor' and 'mare' in the same way proves only your own ignorance. They're exactly the same to me, and I assure you I'm far from uneducated. Still, this is about what I'd expect from a man who once claimed I was ignorant of my own country's history because I said that 'queue' is a common word in BrE.>>

Pronouncing "mayor" as "mare" is lazy. The words are spelled differently for a reason, you know. They're meant to be pronounced differently.

<<Pronouncing "mayor" as "mare" is lazy. The words are spelled differently for a reason, you know.>>

No, "knight" and "night" aren't pronounced the same nor are "merry", "marry" and "Mary" for some.

Oh please, Jason, spare us the justifications.

Why defend Brennus so painstakingly when it's so obvious he makes abrupt assertions without much objective consideration? Apparently he is a moderator but he blissfully ignores the pertinent posts here.

<<Oh please, Jason, spare us the justifications.

Why defend Brennus so painstakingly when it's so obvious he makes abrupt assertions without much objective consideration? Apparently he is a moderator but he blissfully ignores the pertinent posts here.>>

Yes, I know...

But, I'm just trying to show that I am of a more open mind and of a nobler spirit and that I can rise above his level.

I also feel kind of bad because I'm the one that started this topic and perhaps it would have been better not to have done so, seeing that's it's causing so much bad blood.

<<... but since when do we bother listening to the kind of morons who edit such a piece of crap as the Cambridge Dictionary?>>

You're right, Jim. The editors of that dictionary were morons.