Parameter. Kilometer.

[pseydtonne]

Why does it grate on my ears to hear 'PAIR-uh-MEE-tur' instead of 'puh-RAM-ih-tur', but I prefer 'KIHL-oh-MEE-tur' over 'kih-LOM-ih-tur'? Why do I have this aural inconsistency?

You got any of your own?

Comments

[contradictacat.livejournal.com]

My guess is that it's reasonably common for people to say "Kilos" which gets people used to emphasizing the first part. Though then it raises the question of why people don't say "Keel-o-mee-tur" but I'm guessing that's due to usual pronunciation practices.

[fanw.livejournal.com]

Because you are hopelessly midguided on your pronunciation of kilometer! ;)

[proudlyfallen.livejournal.com]

I dislike Katy Perry's song E.T., even though I remember loving the techno song she lifted the melody and rhythm of the chorus from.

You are a musicphile; can you give me the name of that song? I can't remember it for the life of me, if I ever knew it to begin with.

[tckma.livejournal.com]

'KIHL-oh-MEE-tur' makes more logical sense since it's based on a 'MEE-tur.' But it grates on my ears.

My high school chemistry teacher insisted on saying 'EYE-oh-DEEN' instead of 'EYE-uh-DYNE' because the other elements in that period were pronounced with DEEN or something. If we said 'EYE-uh-DYNE' in class, we'd get corrected.

Also, American English's "Aluminum" versus British English's "Aluminium" always confused me.

Other than those chemical examples, I can't think of any off hand.

[pseydtonne.livejournal.com]

With aluminum, the British are just wrong. They added an extra letter because they felt they wanted one. They also can't pronounce "Don Quixote" or "Maryland".

Oh jeeze, Maryland. You'd think it was The Transjordan when you hear a BBC guy say "and in the Maryland" as if it were "the merry land". Wrong, suckuh! Y'all couldn't deal with Catholics and gave them a place you can't pronounce.

I'm from Bawlmer, Marelinn, hun

[tckma.livejournal.com]

I've lived here for a year, and worked here for a year and a half, and I'm certainly NOT "merry."

Ugh... glad I never heard that one whilst in England, or anywhere else.

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

When we meet again, can you fill-me-in on how they pronounce aluminum and Don Quixote.