Re: Arkansas = Arkinsaw

Mark Brader wrote:

> Edgar De Blieck:
>>>>> What other place names are there like Arkansas and Kansas, with
>>>>> two or more sound elements spelled the same and pronounced differently
>>>>> within the same country and in the same language?
> 
> Mark Brader:
>>> There's also a *correct* example with Worcester, if you look to England.
>>> Take Worcester and Leicester on the one hand ("Wooster" and "Lester"),
>  
> Richard Heathfield:
>> Pronunciation is always tricky. "Wooster", to me, looks like it should
>> rhyme  with "booster".
> 
> I know, but you can also imagine it with short OO as in book, which is
> what I intended.
> 
>> In the UK, the "Wor" of Worcester is pronounced in the same
>> way as it is in "world".
> 
> Even among nonrhotic speakers?  I don't think there's an R there then.

Agreed. (I don't actually pronounce the 'r' in "world", though - I see it 
more as a modifier to turn 'o' into 'uh', if you see what I mean.)

> In any case, my reference was to the common element -cester.

You don't seriously think a Usenet discussion can stay that tightly focused, 
do you? :-)

>>> and Circencester on the other (pronounced either as spelled or
>>> "Sissiter").
>  
>> I don't recall ever hearing it pronounced "Sissiter".
> 
> It is supposed to be obsolete or nearly so.  Again, the point is that it
> *isn't* "sirenster".

Yes, it certainly isn't. :-)

Somewhat off the point, I know, but my favourite candidate for "strangest UK 
pronunciation" is "Salop", which is pronounced "Shropshire".

-- 
Richard Heathfield : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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