Re: TECHWR-L Digest - 16 Jan 1995 to 17 Jan 1995

[Timothy Schablin <timothy -at- ESKIMO -dot- COM>]

The English language has GOT to be the most complex of all......

On Wed, 18 Jan 1995, Richard Lippincott wrote:

> On the pronunciation of "skiing", I originally said:

> >The sport we know as "skiing" was just starting to become popular in
> >this country. The spelling has always been as we know it, but the
> >original pronunciation was "scheeeing."

> Richard Mateosian asked:

> >Excuse me? How is that different from the current pronunciation? ...RM

> I think my intent might have been more clear if I had said the original
> pronunciation was "sheeing." But there was just a hint of a "ch" in there, and
> I was trying to be as accurate as possible.

> Of course, "ski" is pronounced with a hard "K", as in "skate," "sky,"
> "skill," "skirt," "skunk," "skid," and "skewer." (At least, that's how it
> is pronounced in the US. I don't have a clue about other countries, although
> it wouldn't surprise me if it's closer to the original pronunciation.)

> The original pronunciation had a softer "sch" sound. "School" is -not- a
> pronunciation match, but"Schlep," "Schmaltz," "schnauzer," "schmuck," and
> "schnapps" -are- pronunciation matches.

> (BTW, I hope no one takes offense at the inclusion of the word "Schmuck." It's
> tough finding words that have the proper "Sh" sound, but the same spelling
> that I was trying to convey.)

> Did I do better this time?

> Rick Lippincott
> Eaton Semiconductor
> Beverly, MA
> rlippinc -at- bev -dot- etn -dot- com