Mis-pronounciation and dating
 

This is a purely hypothetical question: Would any of you (and, look deep into your hearts, here) date someone who repeatedly mispronounced common words? (Example: library, especially, data.) Just pretend that you like the person well enough, but they do this one thing. What would you do?

It would depend on if they did it so much that I thought I couldn't fix it over time.

Are we talking mildly annoying like a Boston accent ("Bahstan") or an extremely annoying like British mispronounciations ("check the shed-u-ool")? Or maybe even that rare person that still retains a bit of baby-speak in their adulthood (Bahbwa Waltahs)?

Day-ta? Dah-tah? Which one?

I'm afraid I'd have to go nucular.

No seriously, if this were the woman's only flaw, I'd overlook it. But you could be in a "straw that broke the camel's back" situation. "I like this person well enough" is different from "she's everything I ever dreamed of in a woman, except when she goes to check out a book."

Exactly what mispronunciations are we talking about here? I can imagine "liberry", but especially? data? for data you have long A vs. short A, but I can't bring myself to

Like the British mispronounciations that are cultural. I live in Ohio with loads of Appalachians. I've never heard such strange things--"vomick" for vomit, "twice-t" for "twice", "eXpecially" for "especially", and then there are other things that just aren't words, like "swolled" for "swollen".

You can very rarely "fix" something you don't like about another person, especially if they don't particularly think it's a problem.

The hypothetical person you speak of has either had a stroke or is a Brit. Either way, they should be checked by a doctor and prepare themselves for long hours with a speech therapist before I would date them.

Living in the South, however, I guess I shouldn't complain. It ain't a big deal. :)

Attention people from the Pittsburgh area: You put your clothing in the "washer" NOT a "worsher".

Brits say "vomick"-?? Say it ain't so!

not only did i date someone who commonly mispronounced words, i married her. in the beginning i didn't pay much attention, but by the time we divorced i realized that her mispronunciation was tied to her absolute ignorance on just about anything worth discussing.

she was great in the sack though, so that was a tolerable three years.

Both DAY-ta and DAH-ta are correct. I used to be self-conscious about that word, never being able to figure out which was correct because people do say it both ways... but now I say DAY-ta, because that's the way everyone here at work says it that way and it's in the company name. But I had to look it up, and according to Merriam Webster, either way is correct. Unless you say it one way only. Then the other's wrong, I suppose.

I do, however, consider it a personal affront when someone says "ex-pecially" or "axe" (-me a question) or '<i>on</i> accident'. Or if you spell damage with two 'm's. Ungh. The hubby does it on purpose to me just to watch my eyes roll back in my head and the pained expression on my face.

Anyway, I go with the 'it depends on how much you like them' scenario. I overlooked it, much to my advantage. (but he still says expecially by accident every so often)

the only "ex" word that really pisses me off is "expresso". if you are pretentious enough to drink the crap, at least be smart enough to say it correctly. Grrrr

The mountain folk were isolated enough in early American history that their speech didn't keep up with the rest of the culture. Many of their quaint pronunciations/sayings are holdovers from English/Early American speech.

*Think cultured English accent for this one*

"We will have to reckon with the consequences."

*Now think Appalacian accent*

"I reckon we could get that done."

Do the benefits of the relationship outweigh your annoyance? Are other skills of his tongue sufficient to allow you to set aside your distress when he's using it for speaking? If something that inconsequential is causing you that much agita, you might want to rethink some aspects of the relationship.

I have 2 curious pronunciation stories. When I was in grad school I worked as a TA for a professor of education that regularly said "pubertry" instead of puberty. It was one of those glance at each other and check, did you just hear that?! kinda things. Anyone else heard that one?

The second is another well educated and articulate collegue who says 'continooooowum" instead of "continue- um". And she uses the word a lot, I mean a lot. Maybe that's not such an odd pronounciation, maybe just a baba wahwah kinda thing, but it made me pause...

As far as the dating goes....no, not just pronounciation, but more for content.

Oh, yeah! I forgot about that one!

Pretentious, smreetentious. Espresso is the nectar of the gods.

<small>How else can I become my own vibrator??? </small>

<b>Vzzz!</b>