mc5 - The Banter Page

While we're on the subject, how do people pronounce "valeting"?

deb-OO-ing

I would not say it, but if pushed, after thinking for a while: val-AY-ing or perhaps VAL-ay-ing.

Ugly.

[Flerdle] The common pronunciation I hear is 'VAL-ett-ing', at least when you're talking about car cleaning. Not heard it for being a gentleman's gentleman.

Projoy

On a similar basis, I'm looking forward with relish to the challenges of gerunding "ballet", "fracas", "wii", "Playdoh" and "adieu"

Projoy

(I've often thought the word "Boeing" looked rather awkward for related morphological/phonological tension reasons).

Projoy

Ah, another good one to add to the list above would be "algebra".

Phil

I do have a fondness for the (not terribly prevalent, but permitted) alternative spelling of "queuing" that keeps the "e", resulting in "queueing"; a whopping 5 consecutive vowels.

Tuj

Semi-tangentially

I seem to recall reading a newspaper article about an RSI-like injury that had been christened "wiiitis".

rab

[INJ] That reminds me that "buffet" is pronounced "boo-fay" except when referring to catering provision on British trains, where it's "buff-it".

Phil

[rab] Really? I beg to differ. "Buff-it" would only be used by me as a verb relating to what strong winds can do to a person.

ImNotJohn

Buff, Eh?

[Rab] Not to mention the notices on the cross-channel ferries which say: 'To the buffet/Au Snack-bar'

flerdle

aye, buff, ay!

Saying "boof-ay" here would get you strange looks.

flerdle

(and that's for any pronunciation of "oo")

Phil

[flerdle] even "stool"?

Software

I thought girls had "boof ay's" in the '60s.

Rosie

(Phil) When you've polished your nice brass beer pump don't you then buff it for that extra gleam?

flerdle

[Phil] Especially!

Phil

[Rosie] No. I have staff to do that for me :)
[flerdle] how are you pronouncing the "boof" of "boof-ay"? Like "boo" or "book"?

flerdle

actually, it's Smörgåsbord

Either works just as badly - as I said. It's always "buff-ay" here unless you're over 80 and posh or putting it on. Buff as in huff, puff, stuff and, um, buff.