Thicknesse: Question on Pronunciation - All and Oil in Texas

[Steve]

---  "Geoff Bannister" <gbannister10 at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  "Steve" <bboyminn@> wrote:
> 
> > bboyminn:
> 
> > ...
> > 
> > In common speech, they are virtually the same. ...
> > 
> > However, I do think there is a very minor and subtle
> > technical difference, that is difficult to explain. 
> > 
> > The best I can show is -
> > 
> > sear-ee-us (Sirius)
> > 
> > and
> > 
> > sear-ee-os (serious)
> > 
> > There is a microscopic hint of the 'O' in Serious,
> > that would technically not be present in 'Sirius'.
> 
> Geoff:
> In UK terms, the pronunciation would be approximately:
> 
> Sirius = si-ri-us
> 
> Serious = see-ri-us
> 
> The stress would be identical.
>

bboyminn:

Trick business, this pronunciation thing. I do think
we can all agree that the difference between Sirius
and Serious is extremely subtle, and as I said, nearly
to completely non-existent in common speech.

A quick look in American Heritage CD-ROM dictionary,
indicates that the last part of both words is identical,
though I still have my personal doubts. 

The distinction made on the first part is the 
difference between a standard short 'I' or 'I' marked 
with a 'breve' (Sirius), and a 'circumflex' or a 'caret'
above the 'I' for the other(serious). Though for the 
life of me, I can't find any pronunciation guide that 
explains exactly how a letter modified by a 'circumflex'
should be pronounced. 

Perhaps the difference, as best as I can describe, is
similar to this -

sear-ee-us

sir-ee-us (or alternately sur-ee-us)

Though more subtle than I can indicate here in plain
text.

Still, I personally think if I were going to make a 
distinction between the two, it would be on the last 
part not the first part, as I indicated before -

sear-ee-us
sear-ee-os (but very subtle)

But then I always was a little odd. 

I think even in proper speech, the difference is so
very very subtle as to be /nearly/ non-existent. 

Still amazed that we could spend so much time and 
so many electron discussing this, but then here I
am still discussing it. As I said though, I always 
was a little odd ;) .

Steve/bboyminn