5 ms·
There's a small category of words, at least in British English, that act as a fairly effective shibboleth when it comes to identify non-native speakers. Usually
by maest 6y ago
There's a small category of words, at least in British English, that act as a fairly effective shibboleth when it comes to identify non-native speakers. Usually names for places, but not only:
Glouchester, Worcester, Worcestershire, leftenant etc
- pge 6y agoLots of place names in US that reveal not just non-native speakers but also native speakers that aren’t locals. Some that come to mind: Worcester, MA; Wilkes-Barre, PA; Versailles, KY; New Berlin, PA; and many others.
- egypturnash 6y agoHow you pronounce “New Orleans” can show not only whether or not you are a local, but which part of town you are from, and how old you are. I can think of at least four or five ways.
- axaxs 6y agoSame for Louisville, generally speaking. FWIW, I'm a 'lulvul' guy.
- 082349872349872 6y agoknowing which part of town you are from means I no longer have to ask where you went to school, but there's still more to know, like: What was your mama's name? Can you make a roux? (more seriously, New Orleans falls under my list of "civilised" places, because Carnaval/Fasnacht is still a thing there)
- olalonde 6y agoI'm a native French speaker and I never know how I'm supposed to pronounce French words and expressions used in English (e.g. Versailles, bon appétit, déjà vu, etc.).
- mikelward 6y agoDid you mean Gloucester and lieutenant?
- Koshkin 6y agoNatives, on the other hand, tend to misspell (like you did ‘lieutenant’).
- andrewshadura 6y agoWell, TIL, but apparently leftenant used to be an acceptable spelling a century ago.