Shrewsbury or Shrowsbury

[birchesgreen]

Its hard to write phonetically but indeed you don't say the H. Co-zil or something like that.

 

[AM9]

Its hard to write phonetically but indeed you don't say the H. Co-zil or something like that.

There's a Coleshill near here in south Bucks. The name derives from Coll's hill and has at times been spelt as 'Colshull'.

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Shew is an alternative for show, not used much nowadays.

Whereas, we have 'sewing' as with needle and thread as well as 'sowing' as with seeds in the ground , - both pronounced with an extended 'o' sound.

 

[duncanp]

There's a Coleshill near here in south Bucks. The name derives from Coll's hill and has at times been spelt as 'Colshull'.

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Whereas, we have 'sewing' as with needle and thread as well as 'sowing' as with seeds in the ground , - both pronounced with an extended 'o' sound.

It's tough though, trying to learn how to pronounce English words correctly, especially if you thought you got it right.

In French you have the same thing

Foi = faith (religious)
Foie = liver
Fois = times

are all pronounced the same way.

 

[Calthrop]

In French you have the same thing

Foi = faith (religious)
Foie = liver
Fois = times

are all pronounced the same way.

And the town of Foix, down near the Spanish border. Those Froggies, they crazy !

 

[duncanp]

And the town of Foix, down near the Spanish border. Those Froggies, they crazy !

The words Fou and Fous are both pronounced the same.

Fou means mad/crazy and Fous means, well it is a four letter word beginning with F, so I will leave it to your imagination.

 

[AM9]

The words Fou and Fous are both pronounced the same.

Fou means mad/crazy and Fous means, well it is a four letter word beginning with F, so I will leave it to your imagination.

In an old Will Hay film, (if you've never heard of him, you're probably too young to know ), there was a scene where they were teaching a German how to pronounce Slough. The German then used the words 'tough' and 'rough' with the equivalent pronunciation (i.e. 'tow' as in cow and 'row' to rhyme with cow). It was funny at the time.

 

[Calthrop]

I believe that re different pronunciations of "ough", the maximum number clocked up for the English language, is twelve (one or two of these, maybe "pushing the envelope" a little).

 

[LWB]

Shew is an alternative for show, not used much nowadays.

Indeed which is why I dated my comments (GWR 1948, WW2 1945). I think the GWR usage (in both cases) confirms a geographical usage of ‘ew’ pronounced’ow’.

 

[Essan]

Surely the clue is in the country name? Shropshire (contraction of Shrowsbury-shire)

 

[AY1975]

The above is absolutley correct as an ex-allumni and 40+ year resident, thread closed!!

There's no such thing as an ex-alumni (or ex-alumnus in the singular form), because an alumnus is an ex-pupil or ex-student of a school, college or university.

 

[AM9]

There's no such thing as an ex-alumni (or ex-alumnus in the singular form), because an alumnus is an ex-pupil or ex-student of a school, college or university.

Agreed. An 'ex-alumnus' (or some 'ex-alumni') would be dead so rather difficult to post here, - even last Thursday!

 

[37078xotTE]

There's no such thing as an ex-alumni (or ex-alumnus in the singular form), because an alumnus is an ex-pupil or ex-student of a school, college or university.

Agreed. An 'ex-alumnus' (or some 'ex-alumni') would be dead so rather difficult to post here, - even last Thursday!

Oh Dear I can see the pedantic's are out in force, forgive me it's been over 40 years since my last Latin lesson but as we used to say "sursum tuum"

 

[Strathclyder]

Rather like Milngavie, near Glasgow.

It has an Anglicised spelling, but is pronounced as per the Gaelic version of the name "mull-guy"

Milngavie has to be the one place name, at least in/around Glasgow, that catches the most people out at first. Most who aren't from the region try and pronounce it as per it's Anglican spelling first time around (despite myself, I always wince internally when this happens lol) before I pronounce it as per the Gaelic version.

 

[AM9]

Oh Dear I can see the pedantic's are out in force, forgive me it's been over 40 years since my last Latin lesson but as we used to say "sursum tuum"

I think you mean ... "I can see the pedants are out in force" ... . That's simple english!

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Milngavie has to be the one place name, at least in/around Glasgow, that catches the most people out at first. Most who aren't from the region try and pronounce it as per it's Anglican spelling first time around (despite myself, I always wince internally when this happens lol) before I pronounce it as per the Gaelic version.

It's Glasgow's 'Plaistow'.

 

[Rescars]

I think you mean ... "I can see the pedants are out in force" ... . That's simple english!

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It's Glasgow's 'Plaistow'.

Just as well the railways never reached Happisburgh!

 

[william.martin]

Well... it just depends how you pronounce it, the locals is a pure mix, us Telfordarians call it SHREW-S-BUR-Y however people from posh areas call it SH-ROW-S-BURY.

 

[AM9]

Just as well the railways never reached Happisburgh!

Equally, Stiffkey. They did though get to Costessy (in the form of Costessey and Drayton station).

 

[Calthrop]

Equally, Stiffkey. They did though get to Costessy (in the form of Costessey and Drayton station).

(My bolding) --- I have heard (don't know whether this is genuine), that although it is generally held that this place is pronounced "Stewky"; the locals in fact pronounce it as spelt (like a rigid lock-operating implement). Should that in fact be so: it would truly be an East Anglian equivalent of the Shrewsbury / Shrowsbury controversy.

 

[AM9]

(My bolding) --- I have heard (don't know whether this is genuine), that although it is generally held that this place is pronounced "Stewky"; the locals in fact pronounce it as spelt (like a rigid lock-operating implement). Should that in fact be so: it would truly be an East Anglian equivalent of the Shrewsbury / Shrowsbury controversy.

North Norfolk is rife with retired London & home counties pensioners so maybe they refuse to localise.

 

[Gloster]

(My bolding) --- I have heard (don't know whether this is genuine), that although it is generally held that this place is pronounced "Stewky"; the locals in fact pronounce it as spelt (like a rigid lock-operating implement). Should that in fact be so: it would truly be an East Anglian equivalent of the Shrewsbury / Shrowsbury controversy.

Maybe it depends on your opinion of the Reverend Harold Davidson, the village’s former rector. He has an entry on Wikipedia, where you can read about a man who ended up being killed by a lion in Skegness.

 

[Calthrop]

Maybe it depends on your opinion of the Reverend Harold Davidson, the village’s former rector. He has an entry on Wikipedia, where you can read about a man who ended up being killed by a lion in Skegness.

I always suspect that this poor guy may have been unjustly accused and defrocked -- any man who seeks to minister to prostitutes and to try to turn them away from the "dark side", will be suspected of using this activity as a cover for immoral doings of his own. Wonder a little, whether the name of the village where he was rector, played a part in erroneously prejudicing folk, unconsciously, against him: the name could -- particularly if one's mental age is under ten -- be seen as having rude and unseemly connotations.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Should that in fact be so: it would truly be an East Anglian equivalent of the Shrewsbury / Shrowsbury controversy.

Talking of East Anglia, why on earth is 'Happisburgh" in Norfolk pronounced something like "Hayz-buh-ruh"?!

 

[Calthrop]

Talking of East Anglia, why on earth is 'Happisburgh" in Norfolk pronounced something like "Hayz-buh-ruh"?!

Tempting to suggest: Norfolk people are just perverse -- and enjoy being so -- about place-name pronunciations. Instances upthread; and there's also Wymondham, pronounced "Windum". And, my favourite: Little Hautbois on the River Bure -- second word of the name, pronounced "Hobbiz".

There's a robber named Robert from Hautbois,
And looting rich houses his jautbois.
Through windows he wangles
At improbable angles --
A most rubbery robber our Bautbois.

 

[AM9]

Tempting to suggest: Norfolk people are just perverse -- and enjoy being so -- about place-name pronunciations. Instances upthread; and there's also Wymondham, pronounced "Windum". And, my favourite: Little Hautbois on the River Bure -- second word of the name, pronounced "Hobbiz".

There's a robber named Robert from Hautbois,
And looting rich houses his jautbois.
Through windows he wangles
At improbable angles --
A most rubbery robber our Bautbois.

The list goes on, (at the risk of being more entertaining/educational than 'on topic'):

Hunstanton - "hun-ston"​

Talconeston - "tacleston"​

Mundesley - "munsley"​

Postwick - "possik"​

Ingoldisthorpe - "inglesthorpe"​

Leatheringsett - "larn-sett​

etc. ... .​

It seems that there is something in the East Anglian heritage that promotes the dropping of syllables in the middle of place names.

... and to underline the need for accommodating visitors who can't associate the name on the map with a verbal directions:
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/C6X3J0/stiffkey-village-sign-C6X3J0.jpg
(picture of Stiffkey village sign with 'Stewkey' written below)

 

[duncanp]

Bradley Lane on the West Midlands Metro is pronounced Braidley Lane , not Braddley Lane

and

Basford on the Nottingham tram network is pronounced Bayesford

 

[Calthrop]

Hunstanton - "hun-ston"​

I've heard it suggested -- this has been discussed on the Forums before now -- that as with the county town of Shropshire, there's something of a "class distinction linked with pronunciation" element -- only with a "but" ... While it's reckoned that the local folk do say "Hunston"; among those who don't live thereabouts but for whom the place has significance and thus is conversed about: some contend that it's only the posh and /or pretentious who call it "Hunston" -- ordinary non-showy sensible folk use the three-syllable "Hunstanton". It's uncertain how much truth there is or has been, about this "class-divide" issue.

 

[AM9]

I've heard it suggested -- this has been discussed on the Forums before now -- that as with the county town of Shropshire, there's something of a "class distinction linked with pronunciation" element -- only with a "but" ... While it's reckoned that the local folk do say "Hunston"; among those who don't live thereabouts but for whom the place has significance and thus is conversed about: some contend that it's only the posh and /or pretentious who call it "Hunston" -- ordinary non-showy sensible folk use the three-syllable "Hunstanton". It's uncertain how much truth there is or has been, about this "class-divide" issue.

I can't comment on west Norfolk names but have had family associations with Mundesley, Talconeston, Wymondham and Costessey, where all of which are (still) called by their 'dropped syllable' names. Really, it's no difference to Worcester, Gloucester, Leicester etc., where none of those are modest centres of population.

 

[duncanp]

...and locally to me, the W in Smethwick and West Bromwich is silent.

 

[AM9]

...and locally to me, the W in Smethwick and West Bromwich is silent.

There are two places spelt 'Southwick' on the south coast: one, a village north of Porchester and the other, a built-up area between Shoreham and Portslade. The Hampshire village is pronounced Suthick and the West Sussex place South Wick. They are just over 60km apart.

 

[duncanp]

There are two places spelt 'Southwick' on the south coast: one, a village north of Porchester and the other, a built-up area between Shoreham and Portslade. The Hampshire village is pronounced Suthick and the West Sussex place South Wick. They are just over 60km apart.

The Hampshire village is pronounced very similar to the London Borough of Southwark.