(no subject)

[gemfyre]

WHY do Americans pronounce "Parmesan" as "Parmajhan"?

Hrm, maybe the same reason "herb" becomes "urb" in Americanese, and aluminium loses a syllable.

Comments

[mistress-wench.livejournal.com]

I've heard "par-may-zan" before

[stawberi.livejournal.com]

Maybe they get it confused with parmigana.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

If you're patient, I can actually find the source, but I believe Bill Bryson - better at linguistics than he is at travelling - shows through research that aliminium was originally pronounced without the i in the last two syllables, and that it was anglicised later. So technically they pronounce the word the 'right' way, or at least...the 'original' way.

I really need to finish that book, it was fascinating. About the American language, quite a few things have surprised me, and quite a lot haven't!

[marzipan9.livejournal.com]

well, how do you pronounce parmesan?

and the h in herb is supposed to be silent, no?

[miwasatoshi.livejournal.com]

The original cheese from which parmesan is derived is "Parmigiano Reggiano" -- therefore, American English "par-me-zhan" is actually closer to the original pronunciation than "par-me-zan". The American Heritage Dictionary (which actually uses "par-me-zan") still ascribes it etymologically to Old French "parmigean" = of Parma.

Parmesan, by the way, is not trademarked in the US.

[tanz-fanatika.livejournal.com]

I was going to bring in the Italian thing, but that's already been done, I see. Ah, the things I learn at Olive Garden.

What I want to know is why non-US countries spell words like "colour" and "flavour" with a "u" that doesn't affect the pronunciation.

[lucidnightdream.livejournal.com]

We pronounce "Aluminum" the way we spell it :P There isn't another "i"

[morningglorymlp.livejournal.com]

When I first heard someone pronounce "Aluminium" in Australia, I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. It's pronounced so differently here than there.

[pooxs.livejournal.com]

because americans are stupid (i've just been in hong kong where the majority of white english speaking people are american and my GOD I WANT TO KIILL THEM ALL, not just the awful accent but the idiocity that comes from their mouths)