Are ''catch'' and ''ketch'' homonyms for ye?

Albert   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:00 pm GMT
I'm from Scotland, and I pronounce ''catch'' and ''ketch'' both as /kEtS/. Do any of ye do the same thing? I don't have any merger, as all other ''-atch'' words have /{tS/ for me. ''catch'' is just an exception for me, which I pronounce /kEtS/.
Guest   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:01 pm GMT
No

(from US)
Lazar   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:09 pm GMT
I pronounce "catch" as [kEtS], as if it were "ketch". (I'm from Massachusetts.) As with Albert, this doesn't apply to any other "-atch" words for me.
Albert   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:12 pm GMT
<<I pronounce "catch" as [kEtS], as if it were "ketch". (I'm from Massachusetts.) As with Albert, this doesn't apply to any other "-atch" words for me.>>

Interesting! I thought it was a unique Scottish thing.
Tiffany   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:14 pm GMT
Nope. (US as well)
Lazar   Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:40 pm GMT
<<Interesting! I thought it was a unique Scottish thing.>>

No, it's actually quite common (although by no means universal) in the US.
andre in usa   Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:46 pm GMT
they are indeed homonyms for me
american nic   Fri Dec 09, 2005 11:25 pm GMT
For me (in Minnesota), catch and ketch are both the same. Oddly, it sounds wrong to me to pronounce 'catch' with an 'a' sound.
Bill   Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:54 am GMT
I'm from Minnesota and I pronounce ''catch'' and ''ketch'' both as /kEtS/.
Guy   Sat Dec 10, 2005 2:56 am GMT
For me catch and ketch are different but catch up and ketchup are the same.
Guest   Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:04 am GMT
"Ketch" and "catch" are different for me (I'm only 25 miles west of the Massachussetts border). "Ketchup" has the same 1st vowel as "ketch" for me (although I often say "catsup" rather than "ketchup", despite the name written on the bottle).
Lazar   Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:15 am GMT
I only ever spell and pronounce that as "ketchup" [kETSVp].
Lazar   Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:17 am GMT
Sorry, that should be [kEtSVp], not [kETSVp], above.
Albert   Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:49 am GMT
<<I only ever spell and pronounce that as "ketchup" [kEtSVp].>>

Same for me. I actually find the ''catsup'' spelling quite annoying. It would sound even more strange to me, to hear it pronounced as that spelling suggests.

I remember one time when I was reading a recipe, and it said to use ''catsup'', and I was wondering ''What the heck is catsup?'', I later found out that it was telling you to use ketchup.
Bill the Yank   Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:47 am GMT
One of these days I am going to have to learn these strange hieroglyphics (sp?) you all use to denote pronunciation. They seem very useful.

But here in the northeast US, Catch - up, which rhymes with "catch," which rhymes with "batch," and "Ketchup," which rhymes with "Fetch" will both get you this red, gloppy stuff we like to pour on hamburgers, and especially Fren -- er -- Freedom Fries.

=)

We like our differences.