Thursday, August 25, 2005 |
10:44 - How does this thing work again?
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Geez, it's hard getting back into the groove of this blogging thing... especially when I'm still so burdened with the digital bauble-hoard from the trip that I haven't even unpacked yet.
But I was just wondering something, and yes I know it's petty and peevish, but hey, that's what this place is nominally for, so here goes: Why is it that almost without exception, people pronounce the first syllable of asphalt as ash?
Not a single dictionary definition I've found lists that as a valid pronunciation, but almost everybody I've heard say the word says it ashphalt. Even comedians from the 30s.
C'mon, people. English is having a hard enough time getting along with its words that are legitimately not pronounced as spelled. Or are we all just gluttons for punishment, craving irregularity and counterintuitiveness?
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