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Shtructure Conshtruction Down the Shtreet


Chef Jim

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Have any of you noticed the recent habit of people to pronounce the letters str as shtr? We first noticed it a couple of years ago when we'd watch the weather channel to get the local news and one of their "reporters" did it all the time. Any of you have an idea where this comes from? My wife thinks it's people trying to sound urban I think it people being lazy with their speaking. Either way it drive us nuts.

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I know I've heard that pronunciation used in some British movies I've seen, where the S becomes an Sh. i.e. Shh-tupid in one of a remake of "A Room With A View" several years ago on PBS Masterpiece. So, is it a British import?

 

Hmmm....I don't think so(I watch a fair bit of UK stuff). The English are more likely to pronounce "street" without the "R"....."stweet".

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Yes. I've noticed this in the past couple years, too. There is one girl I work with who shpeaks thish way. Drive me nuts.

Almost as annoying as the change from "Pakistan" (with the short "a" sound now with the intellectual long "a" sound) to "Pakistaaaaan",,,same for Afghanistaaaan, Khazikstaaaan, etc.

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Hmmm....I don't think so(I watch a fair bit of UK stuff). The English are more likely to pronounce "street" without the "R"....."stweet".

 

I watch a LOT of British stuff, and I've heard it on multiple occasions. Again the other night in "The Paradise" was an "sh" in place of a usual "s." Is it also a deal of the Brits saying "shed-ule" instead of the American "schedule" with a hard "c."

 

I heard people say "shhweet!" during college, so it's not like it's a VERY recent thing.

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I watch a LOT of British stuff, and I've heard it on multiple occasions. Again the other night in "The Paradise" was an "sh" in place of a usual "s." Is it also a deal of the Brits saying "shed-ule" instead of the American "schedule" with a hard "c."

 

I heard people say "shhweet!" during college, so it's not like it's a VERY recent thing.

 

You could be right, I'll have to keep my ear open for it.

 

Schedule is a legitimate pronunciation variant between UK and US. I have English parents and I pronounce it "shed-ule"......though either are common in Australia. There are many other words like "schedule" where there is a marked difference between the pronunciations. Mall: "M-all" and "Mal" Graham: "Grey-ham" and "Gram" Herb: "H-erb" and "Erb"

I feel however with the progressive generational influences of US TV and Holywood, the British pronunciations are slowing changing.

 

 

Isn't saying "shhweet!" more of a meme rather than a legitimate pronunciation flaw.....in that it is purposefully changed for effect rather than by natural speech patterns?

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