Conference thebay::joyoflex

    Since you've inadvertently started a new note, let me capatalize
    on it by one of my favorite stories of its kind.
    
    Some years ago, a man was trying to get the telephone number of
    a magazine called _Theater Arts_, whose editorial offices were in
    Manhattan.  The following conversation endued:
    
    Operator:  Information. 
    Man:       I nead the number of _Theater Arts_
    Operator:  One moment please ... (paper rustling sounds; this was
               before CRT terminals).  (After a pause)
               I'm sorry, sir.  There's no one named Theodore Arts listed.
    Man:       I wanted _Theater Arts_.
    Operator:  (A bit on the "professionally chilly" side)  I'm sorry,
               sir.  There is no Theodore Arts listed in Manhattan.
    Man:       Look!  I want _Theater Arts.  That's T H E A T E R  
               A R T S.
    Operator:  I'm sorry, sir.  That's not the way you spell Theodore.
    
    ...
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    In civilised parts of the 3rd planet from the sun it's spelt theatre
    and nobody really cares how it's pronounced. (as long as somebody
    else is paying for the tickets)
    					...............Guy 
    

    This reminds me of the vary flat, unstressed N Am pronunciation
    of Kilometre that sounds more like "kill-uh-meat-er" rather than
					----
    the UK "keel-aw-met-er" or "kil-aw-met-er".  
		 --                 --

    (Stressed syllables underlined)
    
    As for theatre, I much prefer the short a in an unstressed 2nd
    syllable.  The long a in the-aye-ter probably stems from an attempt
    to lay the stress on the 2nd syllable.
    

    th-ear-ter????
    
    Where did the extra R come from???????
    
    --bonnie

    >                         -< You must be a New Englander >-
    > 
    >     th-ear-ter????
    >     
    >     Where did the extra R come from???????

    More likely a Pom/Aussie/Kiwi or somesuch.  I first ran into
    this in Carnarvon (northwestern Australia).  There was a woman
    there planning a trip to South America.  She had a Spanish
    book.  Her pronunciation of Spanish words was, well, interesting.
    
    When I told her that the "a" is Spanish is always pronounced
    "ah" she wrote in her notes:  a = ar
    
    I suggested that she may have misheard me, but that was not
    the case.  My wife, an Australian, then told me that that is
    exactly how she would have made note of that sound.
    
    Sid 

    G'day,
    
    Surprised she didn't write 'a=r' :-)
    
    Remember, Rstralia is a green country - don't tell 'em nuffink!
                              
    djw 

    I prefer to pronounce "kilometer" as "klik." Or "k'-llama-ter" when
    formal. 
    
    	Jon

    People of my ilk (sloppy) take the easy way out and say "kay(s)" for
    kilometer(s). In context it causes no problems, and the time saved
    in saying those extra syllables mounts up, so at the end of the
    year we have time to drink one more can of Fosters.    ........Guy
    

    Is that Fosters or Forsters ?        |^)
    
    
    Don't think this is particular to any country/culture , but I hear
    a number of people pronounce 'advertisement' as 
    
    ad-ver-tise-mnt
           ----
    
    rather than
    
    ad-ver-tiz-mnt
       ---
    
    underlines spoken higher
    
    John J
    

    Re: .9
    
    >  Don't think this is particular to any country/culture , but I hear
    >  a number of people pronounce 'advertisement' as 
    >
    >  ad-ver-tise-mnt
    >         ----
    >
    >  rather than
    >
    >  ad-ver-tiz-mnt
    >     ---
    >
    >  underlines spoken higher

    If you would be so kind as to check your dictionary, I think you
    will find that the former is the preferred pronunciation.  At least
    it appears that way in American dictionaries.  I can't speak for
    our British friends, however.
    
    

    Re .9 (John J):
    
    >underlines spoken higher
    
    Sorta soprano? :-D
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    g'day,
    
    No -  he stands on tip-toe for the underlines :-0
    
       djw
    

    Re .9
    
    When I was at school, I used to get laughed at for say
    
    "adverTISment" rather than "adVERtisment".  However, my english
    teacher said that both forms were correct, only the latter was more
    commonly used. 
    
    ..klaas..
    

    I think British pronunciation of "advertisement" is commonly "advert."
    Seriously, though, I think this is just one of those words.  I prefer
    to say "adver'tisment" myself.
    
    "Chastisement" is maybe an exception to the rule when singing Handel's
    _Messiah_.  I think it's usually sung as "chas-tise-ment."
    
  --Simon
    

    Re .3
    
>   This reminds me of the vary flat, unstressed N Am pronunciation
>   of Kilometre that sounds more like "kill-uh-meat-er" rather than
>					----
>   the UK "keel-aw-met-er" or "kil-aw-met-er".  
>		 --                 --
    
    The Canadians* have this right, for a change.  The accent belongs
    on the first syllable, just as with millimetre, centimetre**,
    kilogram, kilopascal, etc.
    
    *Why not North Americans?  Well, when's the last time you ever
    heard a Yank say "kilometre"?
    
    **For some reason, Western Canadians*** tend to screw up this one
    though.  A 25%-French, 75%-English pronunciation.
    
    ***I almost wrote "Cranks [back-formation from Yanks]" but held off.
    
    Incidentally, Japanese say "kiro" for both kilogram and kilometre.
    I guess it makes up for all those other cases where you have to
    combine the right kind of counting term along with the number.

    The pronouncement of "vase" depends on how much it costs.
    
    						Don

    The corollary to .-1 is the "a" broadens when the vase breaks.