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Tree is the magic number . . .

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  • 23-04-2017 5:44pm
    #1
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭


    I prefer 'three' myself, but for strange reason some Irish people can't say three, why is that?

    Is it a class thing? or . . .

    Curious.


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    #2
    Temptamperu
    Registered Users Posts: 5,303 ✭✭✭Temptamperu


    Just pure laziness.


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    #3
    nullzero
    Registered Users Posts: 16,478 ✭✭✭✭nullzero
    ****


    And some English people can only seem to pronounce it as "free".
    Don't get me started on their abuse of Irish surnames.


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    #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    LordSutch wrote: »
    I prefer 'three' myself, but for strange reason some Irish people can't say three, why is that?

    Is it a class thing? or . . .

    Curious.
    I'm not being deliberately condescending, so sorry if it comes across that way, but words are pronounced differently in different accents. I think they can physically say the word 'three', but in some accents it's pronounced 'tree', and has been for centuries.

    I've never been in a situation whether I was confused as to whether a person was referring to a tree, or the number three, because of the context in how they used the word. Similarly, I've never been confused about the word dare or there, even if the person using the word pronounced it the same.

    A lot of people, and I'm guilty of this myself to an extent, adapt their accent and de-regionalize it, which I think is a great shame. I hope I never live in an Ireland where we all sound like RTE Continuity announcers.
    Temptamperu wrote: »
    Just pure laziness.
    It's not laziness. It's no more lazy to drop the 'h' in 'three' than to drop the 'h' in hotel, or when British people drop the hard 'r' in 'car'.


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    #5
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    Some Scottish people pronounce 'j' as 'joy' and 'three' as 'kree', so yea a regional thing.


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    #6
    nullzero
    Registered Users Posts: 16,478 ✭✭✭✭nullzero
    ****


    Didn't some Australian TV presenter make an issue out of this very issue before?
    People in gloss flamin' 'ouses.


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    #7
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,859 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Probably a legacy of speaking Irish. There's no "th" sound in that language, so it'll probably take another couple of generations for it to disappear fully.


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    #8
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    LordSutch wrote: »
    I prefer 'three' myself, but for strange reason some Irish people can't say three, why is that?

    Is it a class thing? or . . .

    Curious.

    Why do Brits say 'sikth' instead of sixth?


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    #9
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    If you say 'space ghettos' in an American voice it sounds like you're saying Spice Girls in a Scottish accent. Phenomenal.


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    #10
    Arne_Saknussem
    Registered Users Posts: 2,723 ✭✭✭Arne_Saknussem


    An File wrote: »
    Probably a legacy of speaking Irish. There's no "th" sound in that language, so it'll probably take another couple of generations for it to disappear fully.

    You'll actually hear some D4 types reporting on TV pronounce Taoiseach as Th-aoiseach.


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    #11
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    Arne_Saknussem wrote: »
    You'll actually hear some D4 types reporting on TV pronounce Taoiseach as Th-aoiseach.

    Do you ever hear them saying 'charidee' instead of 'charity'? Shudder.


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    #12
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    Omackeral wrote: »
    If you say 'space ghettos' in an American it sounds like you're saying Spice Girls in a Scottish accent. Phenomenal.
    That has actually made my day


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    #13
    hungry hypno toad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 646 ✭✭✭hungry hypno toad


    Am I the only one who pronounces both d's in Wednesday?


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    #14
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    LexieOnRale wrote: »
    That has actually made my day

    I'm imagining you in your gaff saying this out loud and someone in the next room going ''Sorry, what was that Lexie?'' and you just being all embarrassed and saying ''Nothing, never mind.''


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    #15
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    Omackeral wrote: »
    I'm imagining you in your gaff saying this out loud and someone in the next room going ''Sorry, what was that Lexie?'' and you just being all embarrassed and saying ''Nothing, never mind.''

    Feck That! I've an extra awesome gland where my shame gland should be. I'll be saying it to everyone. Multiple times.


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    #16
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Arne_Saknussem wrote: »
    An File wrote: »
    Probably a legacy of speaking Irish. There's no "th" sound in that language, so it'll probably take another couple of generations for it to disappear fully.

    You'll actually hear some D4 types reporting on TV pronounce Taoiseach as Th-aoiseach.

    Re Taoiseach; Surely there is it bit of a th sound?


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    #17
    Academic
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭Academic


    An File wrote: »
    Probably a legacy of speaking Irish. There's no "th" sound in that language, so it'll probably take another couple of generations for it to disappear fully.

    This has always been my assumption.

    Relatedly but distinctly, most Irish can't pronounce the 'th' in 'that'.

    People pronounce it 'tat' or 'dat', mostly depending on where on the island they grew up.


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    #18
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,447 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    Say "beer can". Now you're a Jamaican saying bacon


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    #19
    Vojera
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,812 ✭✭✭Vojera


    LexieOnRale wrote: »
    Feck That! I've an extra awesome gland where my shame gland should be. I'll be saying it to everyone. Multiple times.
    You can switch it up with this one: saying 'beer can' in a posh English accent sounds like 'bacon' with a Jamaican accent.


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    #20
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Academic wrote: »
    An File wrote: »
    Probably a legacy of speaking Irish. There's no "th" sound in that language, so it'll probably take another couple of generations for it to disappear fully.

    This has always been my assumption.

    Relatedly but distinctly, most Irish can't pronounce the 'th' in 'that'.

    People pronounce it 'tat' or 'dat', mostly depending on where on the island they grew up.

    Some (not most) Irish people.


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    #21
    Allah snackbar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 161 ✭✭Allah snackbar


    It's a funny thing having an accent , I have a West of Ireland accent because I'm from a rural area in the West and pronounce words differently to other people born in different places to me , but when I travel to places like Dublin they sound completely different to me , I can't understand it and thank you op for highlighting it , without your pointless thread about it I'd have remained ignorant of the differences in the pronunciation of our language


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    #22
    waterfaerie
    Registered Users Posts: 513 ✭✭✭waterfaerie


    LordSutch wrote: »
    Re Taoiseach; Surely there is it bit of a th sound?

    In Irish there are two t sounds, broad or slender, depending on the vowels that come before and/or after the t. It's the same for many other consonants as well but t is one of the consonants with the most noticeable difference between the broad and slender sound.

    People who pronounce it "thaoiseach" with a th are trying to make the broad t sound but aren't doing it right. My guess is they either think they are pronouncing it properly, hence why you hear it so much on RTE, or they try but are actually incapable of pronouncing it properly due to lack of exposure to the Irish language being spoken by native speakers.

    It's like how, no matter how fluent you become in another language that's not native to you, you will always sound like a foreigner to native speakers because it's difficult to pronounce certain phonemes exactly right unless you have grown up hearing them.


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    #23
    Pac1Man
    Registered Users Posts: 4,394 ✭✭✭Pac1Man


    If you are from Dublin, it's a class thing. The th-ers would have certain notions about themselves and mention how 'one should speak proper'.


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    #24
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    Dare must be at least turty posts about dis already.


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    #25
    lazybones32
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,647 ✭✭✭lazybones32


    LordSutch wrote: »
    I prefer 'three' myself, but for strange reason some Irish people can't say three, why is that?

    Is it a class thing? or . . .

    Curious.
    What's the Irish word for 'three'?

    Irish accents are suited to the Irish language


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    #26
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    degsie wrote: »
    Some Scottish people pronounce 'j' as 'joy' and 'three' as 'kree', so yea a regional thing.

    JAFFA KREE!!


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    #27
    jojofizzio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,964 ✭✭✭jojofizzio


    nullzero wrote: »
    And some English people can only seem to pronounce it as "free".
    Don't get me started on their abuse of Irish surnames.

    And what about their pronunciation of "Thames" and "Thailand "....and they say we don't pronounce our "th"s......


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    #28
    Beyondgone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,166 ✭✭✭Beyondgone


    degsie wrote: »
    Dare must be at least turty posts about dis already.

    Dats wha I taught two.:(


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    #29
    hungry hypno toad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 646 ✭✭✭hungry hypno toad


    Pac1Man wrote: »
    If you are from Dublin, it's a class thing. The th-ers would have certain notions about themselves and mention how 'one should speak proper'.

    And the rest are painful to listen to along with the chip on the shoulder.


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    #30
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,240 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    LexieOnRale wrote: »
    That has actually made my day

    Now try 'rise up lights' in your own accent.

    What does it sound like?


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    #31
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,632 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    endacl wrote: »
    Now try 'rise up lights' in your own accent.

    What does it sound like?

    Sounds very english :D

    What about the old Whale Oil Beef Hooked


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