pronunciation question (was British places in HP1)

[Gabriel Rozenberg]

No: HPFGUIDX 32011

>    From: "Adana Robinson" <adanaleigh at hotmail.com>
>
>
> >From: "Gabriel Rozenberg" <theboywholived at backteeth.com>
>The v amusing name of the village, Little Whinging, sums
> >this up perfectly.
> >
> >Gabriel
>
>Which reminds me--sorry to ask such a newbie-American question, but how is
>"Whinging" pronounced?  And does it mean the same thing as American
>"whining"?  If not, what does it mean?

As Sara says, with a short i and a soft g. It's not quite the same word as 
whining; as with many UK words not found elsewhere it's more expressive, and 
sums up a _small_ whine, but one which might go on for a long time. Children 
whine, but grown adults who are petty often enjoy whinging. Whining is a 
request whereas whinging is just plain complaining without adding anything 
constructive. The name suggests the sort of people who are continually 
complaining about their neighbours for example, without ever actually 
confronting them. "to grumble peevishly" says the OED.

>
>Adana (who didn't know that sweaters were called "jumpers" in England until
>she saw "Bridget Jones's Diary", and now wants a reindeer jumper for
>Christmas, with Colin Firth enclosed)

Indeed, although strangely there's an ad for the film out with Ron in a R 
jumper and Harry in an H jumper staring mournfully, with the tagline "Not 
the only one with a sweater for Christmas" or something similar. Sadly the 
poster designers didn't bother translating, but Harry would never call it a 
sweater. (In the film, characters often spoke in US english rather 
incongruously. So Hagrid says "skedule", not "shedule" for schedule. 
McGonagall says "momentarily" when that meens briefly" in UKEng; she would 
have said "shortly". And Ron yells "mail!" Grrr.)

Gabriel

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