Instruments of War :: Official site for the Enemy Territory clan Instruments of War

Instruments of WarRandom Shithelp settle a silly debate Goto page 1, 2  Next  :| |:
Poll :: How is 'caramel' pronounced?

car-mel (2 syllables) (phonetically 'car' - 'muhl')
50%
 50%  [ 4 ]
car-A-mel (3 syllables) (phonetically 'care' - 'ah' - 'mel')
50%
 50%  [ 4 ]
Voted : 8
Total Votes : 8



#1:  help settle a silly debate Author: BECK Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:46 am

Married guys can relate. There is always something that a married couple argues about continuously. My wife and I are no exception. We'll be 80 years old and still debating this issue. And it is so trivial, it's hardly worth the time and energy that we waste discussing it at least weekly.

So. How do you say the word 'caramel'?

Spelling it phonetically, I say:

car - muhl

My wife insists that it is (again phonetically):

care - ah - mel

She is very careful to pronounce every single letter in the word - hence the extra "ah" sound that she adds.

It's sorta funny because my mother-in-law agrees with me. So we gang up on my wife on the issue. I say that 'car' cannot possibly be pronounced as the word 'care', rather as 'car', a thing you drive.


Last edited by BECK on Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:25 am; edited 2 times in total

#2:   Author: StEVoNuB420 Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:01 am

Perhaps both right?

Car-ah-mel?

Just like Tomato or Potatoe.Different saying for both words.

#3:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Quizzle Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:00 am

Sorry Beck, I'm with your wife on this one. You lose in my mind!

#4:   Author: sTriTan Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:05 am

Well, I'll tell ya Beck. Being a married guy myself. I think that this is a great opportunity for you, since this is so trivial, TO YOU, that you should just give in and tell her she's absolutely right. I think you would prolly get extra bonus points from wifey poo considering the fact that momma and law is on the same side as you. Basically, use the psychological ju-jitsu on her.

#5:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: BECK Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:09 am

I'm way too stubborn for that. Wink

Besides - it's not me that calls her out - she calls me out and laughs at me when I say "car-muhl". I would just let it be, but I'm the one who is abused here. Smile

#6:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Nervous Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:30 am

Webster says you are both correct.

Caramel

2 or 3 syllables is acceptable.

Is you wife from the North? Southerners never say 3 syllables on this one. Odd, but true. Most of the time, we attempt to stretch one syllable into two, or three. : )

#7:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Quazi Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:52 am

Just call it CARMEL as we do - easier Wink

PS.

Your version BECK sounds hella better then your wife's.

#8:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: BECK Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:12 pm

Both of us are from Colorado. My wife's paternal side is from Texas, but she doesn't speak with a southern accent or anything (unlike her Dad). So theoricially, we have the same "dialect" or accent.

#9:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: sum1else Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:47 pm

I'm with you Beck. Your wife and Quizzle are crazy. Only two syllables here.

sum1else out.

#10:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Plan9 Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:23 pm

Wikipedia just adds to the confusion by listing not 2, but 3 pronounciations:

WikiPedia wrote: › Caramel (/ˈkærəmɛl/ and /ˈkɑrməl/ and /ˈkɑrəmɛl/)


But according to Webster's unabridged which I trust a bit more, you're both right:



I think the difference lies in excactly what you said: Your wife's family is from Texas which is not the midwest.

-P9

EDIT: DAMMIT Nerv, that's twice in half an hour I post before reading everything Rolling Eyes .... Sorry Wink

#11:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: DarkStrike Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:38 pm

family pronounciation duh...

I agree with you though beck. 2 syllables...

#12:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Wal-Mart Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:12 pm

Its a freaking word... lol


I dont know i just say car-mel?

#13:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: JEWMAN Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:25 pm

Carmel is a town near where I live. Car-a-mel is how you say the candy thing.

#14:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: Fuzzy Burrito Post You have posted in this forum: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:11 pm

This thread should have included a vote. Is it too late to add?

I use the 3 syllable version. I happened to use this word once tonight already, describing to a friend that the "Ah Caramel" things are disgusting. Three syllables.

#15:  Re: help settle a silly debate Author: trans Post You have posted in this forum: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:46 am

Quizzle wrote (View Post): › Sorry Beck, I'm with your wife on this one.

^^
Instruments of WarRandom Shithelp settle a silly debate Goto page 1, 2  Next  :| |:


Generated using printer-friendly.
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 2


Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group
[ IntegraMOD © 2004 The IntegraMOD Group ]
[Page generation time: 0.4099s (PHP: 73% | SQL: 27%) | SQL queries: 86 | GZIP disabled | Debug on]