Myths about American English.

Jack   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 01:29 GMT
I just thought I'd make a thread about some of the common myths about American English since there are a lot of people that say these certain things about it that aren't true. Here are some of them.


Myths

1.The word ''coffin'' is not used in American English.
2.The spelling ''disc'' is never used in American English.
3.The pronunciation [fOur] for ''four'' is common in America.
4.''Through'' is commonly spelled ''thru'' in American English.
5.''Sorry'' is real commonly pronounced [so:ri:] in American English.

There's obviously more. Can you think of any more.
Adam   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 14:35 GMT
I know that the word "coffin" doesn't exist in American English. I mentioned in another thread that "casket" is the American word for "coffin."

I also mentioned in a thread that "disc" isn't used. In British English, "disc" is something flat and round and "disk" is a floppy disk. But in American English, they use the word "disk" for both of those descriptions.

"Thru" is NOT the American English word for "through." "Thru" is just a slang way of writing "through."

When I hear Americans say "sorry", it sounds like they are saying "sarry."
Jack   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 15:55 GMT
Hey, Adam, But I just call all the things I wrote myths, do you know what a myth is. It's something that's not true. All the things I wrote are not true but there are some people that think they are.
Shogo   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 16:42 GMT
How is the word "sorry" usually pronounced in American English? Any of the followings?

1. /sa:ri/
2. /so:ri/
3. /sori/

I usually pronounce it like sah-ree or saw-ree, but I'm not sure if it's the most common way of saying it.
Khatiya   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 16:47 GMT
Coffin is often used in American English and so is disc, so I agree with you Jack, those are myths. I pronounce sorry as so:ri
Jack   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 16:56 GMT
''Sorry'' is most commonly pronounced [sa:ri:] in American English. [so:ri:] sounds really Canadian and [sori:] sounds British. Adam says-'''When I hear Americans say "sorry", it sounds like they are saying "sarry.''" Well, to me ''sarry'' looks like it should rhyme with ''carry''.
Jack   Saturday, February 21, 2004, 23:05 GMT
I don't think Adam knows what the word myth means.
Shogo   Sunday, February 22, 2004, 01:02 GMT
OOps there's already been an individual thread for the topic of "pronunciation of 'sorry'" I've just found one... Thanks anyway, Khatyya and Jack. I really appreciate them.
Alice   Wednesday, February 25, 2004, 05:14 GMT
I, (living in the united states), hear "coffin" more often than "casket", I also have a CD-R in front of me that is emblazoned with the "compact disc" logo. Thus, both "coffin" and "disc" clearly exist in the US.