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In my opinion this is only true until the "unplanned" usage becomes mainstream. Language is always evolving. Once the majority is using the g sound from "gift"
by bener 5y ago
In my opinion this is only true until the "unplanned" usage becomes mainstream. Language is always evolving. Once the majority is using the g sound from "gift" not "gin", the majority rule is correct, even though they would have been initially incorrect.
Consider the changes of people's names as they migrated around the world. In NZ, we pronounce Craig as "Crayg", in the US they pronounce it "Creg", which I struggle to make sense of, but that doesn't make it wrong. There are better examples than Craig but that was the first one that came to mind.
- dalmo3 5y agoAt least you don't say it "Creag" as with Air NZ :D
- bener 5y agoMaybe I'll start now!
- iainmerrick 5y agobut that doesn't make it wrong I agree with everything you said except that bit, it’s megawrong
- bener 5y agoYou mean that saying Craig->Creg is wrong? It's always bothered me and it's very jarring, but if you grew up being called Creg, then it wouldn't be wrong. But it sounds so wrong to me. I feel like it doesn't make sense, because then Greg should be spelled Graig, but that's the whole point, language evolves in an inconsistent way, and the only defining point of correct pronunciation is really "how do the majority of people say it", and that is often only a regional thing too. Either way, the assertion that because something is a name it cannot evolve in pronunciation is easily disproved.
- iainmerrick 5y agoI’m mostly being facetious (but only mostly)