Word Nerd Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 While listening to the audiobook of Susan Cain's Quiet (good book!), I noticed that the book's reader pronounced the word "room" in a way I've not heard before: with the oo sounding like the one in "wood" or "look," not like the sound in "boom" or "loom." I'm curious whether this is a regional difference or just a quirk of the narrator. How do you pronounce room? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Hmmm ... I say it like you do, but I've certainly heard the other one. Trying to remember what region or country they were from ... England? New England? Not sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Pimpernel Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I say it like you. Maybe someone from the New England area would say it the way the narrator did? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 While listening to the audiobook of Susan Cain's Quiet (good book!), I noticed that the book's reader pronounced the word "room" in a way I've not heard before: with the oo sounding like the one in "wood" or "look," not like the sound in "boom" or "loom." I'm curious whether this is a regional difference or just a quirk of the narrator. How do you pronounce room? I've heard it the way you describe, though everywhere I have lived since I was old enough to talk (Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, NC, SC, with visits to relatives in AZ) pronounces it the other way. I can't remember who I've heard pronounce it with the "book" sound--TV or Missouri relatives or Ohio relatives, or perhaps missionaries visiting our church. If it was TV, it could be from anywhere, but I have heard it that way more than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 My father says it that way...strong Boston accent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I've no idea why I go back and forth. Calvin's old scout leader (American) used to pronounce 'wolf' as 'woof'. He was a missionary kid who grew up in Indonesia, so I don't know where that one came from. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 That reminds me of our road trip to visit family last summer. We took the entire Harry Potter audio series and the first few are read by Jim Dale, who has a great reading voice but he annoyed us to no end by calling the villain VOLDEMORE, my kids kept yelling Vol de morT, /t/ there's a t on the end of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 The way you do. I have heard some people pronounce it the way you describe, but rarely. It makes my ears twitch, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrin Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I lived in northeast Indiana, and though I never heard "room" pronounced like that, they did pronounce "root" and "roof" like "book". Weird. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 While listening to the audiobook of Susan Cain's Quiet (good book!), I noticed that the book's reader pronounced the word "room" in a way I've not heard before: with the oo sounding like the one in "wood" or "look," not like the sound in "boom" or "loom." I'm curious whether this is a regional difference or just a quirk of the narrator. How do you pronounce room? The way you do, but what I'm really excited about is that I am reading this book also! Dd read it and said it gets better after the first few (boring) chapters. I told her I haven't found those boring at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I pronounce it both ways as well - I'm South African. I would be more likely to say it "room" to rhyme with "loom" but "bedroom" with the oo as in "wood". But either/or, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I pronounce 'room' both ways. I've no idea why I go back and forth. That's funny ... I think I'm inconsistent on some words, too. My husband goes back and forth on 'route' -- "rowt" for a name, such as Route 1, and the verb 'to route,' but the French way for the common noun ('which route shall we take?'). Back to 'room' -- come to think of it, I think I can hear people like Bill Nighy or Alan Rickman saying it with the "book" vowel ... I certainly can't imagine them saying it using the "loom" vowel. Well, now I'll have to pay more attention when watching British actors! :001_smile: Very curious now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 That reminds me of our road trip to visit family last summer. We took the entire Harry Potter audio series and the first few are read by Jim Dale, who has a great reading voice but he annoyed us to no end by calling the villain VOLDEMORE, my kids kept yelling Vol de morT, /t/ there's a t on the end of that. The funny thing is that I think the way Dale pronounces it is supposed to be the correct way. There are several different ideas out there about what the name as a whole means, but the ending "mort" is the French word for "death," and it's pronounced without the "t." Rowling has said that was the intended pronunciation. After the movies came out and used the "t," Dale changed his pronunciation to match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I've no idea why I go back and forth. Calvin's old scout leader (American) used to pronounce 'wolf' as 'woof'. He was a missionary kid who grew up in Indonesia, so I don't know where that one came from. Laura My DH (from Montana) says "woof" for "wolf". Drives me nuts, but when I try to correct him he doesn't hear the difference even if I exaggerate and say like wool from a sheep with a "fuh" on the end. I've heard room both ways but majority say it like "boom" with an r instead of b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I've heard it both ways, but I can't remember who I've known that said with the "wood" oo. I always say the "loom" kind. I know what you mean about it grating a bit to hear someone do that, though. I was listening to a lecture the other day where the speaker was a career scientist who had won awards for his work but kept saying "hypothethis" instead of "hypothesis", over and over again. Drove me nuts. If ANYONE should know how to pronounce that word you'd think a professional scientist would. (Before anyone asks, no, he didn't just have a lisp, he pronounced the 's' properly in all other words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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