Off Topic Pronunciation Amusement

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 7261

Neil Ward wrote:

> We talked a while back about the origins of the Weasleys, trying to pin down
> their accents.  The fact that the kids call Molly 'Mum' tends to knock
> certain regional accents out of the picture.  If they were from Liverpool,
> for example, they would most likely call her 'Mam' and if they were from the
> north of England they might favour 'Mother' or 'Ma'.

An off-topic smile for the Brits' enjoyment: My husband (well educated, well
traveled American) was in conversation one time with a executive from Scotland,
who was being rather officious about pronunciations of Edinburgh. He was
lecturing my husband that it was pronounced /ED-in-bur-oh/, but continued that
most people would say /Ed-in-bur-uh/. Etc. My husband let him wind down, then
floored him by pointing out (accurately) that most people in America would
pronounce it /ED-in-burg/. Which is actually  how I (well educated, NOT well
traveled), in fact pronounced it until after we were married. Goes to show
ignorance and stupidity are not the same. I hope.

--Amanda