[HPFGU-OTChatter] Harry and Hairy - The Difference.

[Janette]

>
> Random832:
> The issue is _different_ with sirius/serious - in that case, it's just
> that sirius has a sound pair that occurs in virtually no other words (I
> challenge anyone to find another listed "short i"-"r" pair), so it's
> unfamiliar if you don't know the specific word, if you hear someone else
> say it you tend to put it down to accent differences (and assume they'd
> say "serious" the same way).


montims:
I've snipped most of an excellent post - apologies.  I just wanted to
respond to the challenge with "irritate"?  Pyramus?  (the lover of Thisbe in
Midsummer Night's Dream)  Also Sirius rhymes with Bilius (with the
"oriental" l/r confusion) - Ron's middle name.

Gosh - the poor horse should be buried by now, but I just can't leave off
flogging it...  I know it must be terribly exasperating for Americans who
can't hear the difference, but for a Brit it is equally frustrating that the
difference cannot be communicated.  You know if you have a child who
persists in saying widdle instead of little, or fink and fought instead of
think and thought - it doesn't matter how many times someone says let it go
- don't stifle his/her creativity, but you CAN'T?  You have to keep
interrupting with the right word - "it's not goed and speaked - it's went
and spoke - what's the MATTER with you?"

Oh - that's just me?


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