I learned new words - again - from Dear Reader 101: I didn't know that I/my Jim needed a theodolite or a transit, but I'm on the hunt for vintage-era of both, as my Jim loves that kind of stuff. I've seen those items before but didn't know their names. Our wedding anniversary is coming up - what a perfect gift. I also didn't know that a spirit level was called "spirit level" - another fav thing in our household. The Haitch Crime made me laugh! We Americans, or should I say Texans (though I'm not officially a Texan as I wasn't born here, nor were 8 generations before me), say "8ch". American cities that aren't pronounced as one might think: the city of Worcester is pronounced "Wuh-ster" (yes, it's near Bah-stun), and the town Concord (also near Bah-stun) is pronounced Con-curd. Great post, RH!!
Thanks, Mary! Vintage tools are brilliant, aren't they? For the first time a couple of days ago I came across a 'reed lamp' at a historical site - it was an iron holder for a narrow reed, or rush, which people who couldn't afford candles would use to light their way without burning their fingers by holding the reed itself. Short lengths of reed would be cut and dried, and then dipped in tallow to fuel a flame that would burn just long enough to get to bed!
What do you call a spirit level if it's not a spirit level? You've got me wondering!
We've got a Worcester - and a Worcestershire - over here - like yours, both pronounced rather differently to their spelling. Over here we say 'Los Angeleeeeeeez' for what in most US films sounds like 'Los Angelus'. There's a town in the west of England called 'Shrewsbury' which some pronounce 'Shrowsbreeeee' and others 'Shrewsbreeee' - it's confusing stuff, honestly!
I want a reed lamp now, and we call spirit levels just a level. Over here, we say LA 😂, and there's a Shrewsbury right outside of Boston! I know it! I should very much like to visit the UK sister towns that have the same names in Massachusetts. I should very much like a guide, photographer, and a native speaker for such a trip.
Oh dear, that’s now driven everything else totally out of my mind. Oops. Ah yes, Bubble the spirit level (or whatever those other technical terms referred to), the weather, Arthur Upfield! (I’ll have to look him up - this country is so extraordinarily beautiful), the letter ‘aitch’, and the ‘evil salad vegetable’!!! So much fake news around these days. Facebook is apparently using an AI to write more interesting versions of the news. Why worry about the truth when sensationalism makes more money. Sigh.
A terrific read. Thanks so much. (Safe work travels!)
I know, it's crazy, right? If I were called 'Featherstonehaugh' to be pronounced 'Fanshaw' I would certainly take immediate steps to change its spelling from the former to the latter!
I feel tremendously sorry for Arthur Upfield - I did part with money so that I could take the book home (one of three by him which were available, all with the same churlish blurb), so I will report back as to whether my own opinion is in any way similar to that of the Times Literary Supplement! 🤣
Curious: How would you pronounce Culzean Castle ( Ayrshire)? And the Surname Dalzeal? You pronounce those Zs? I learned that Kirkcudbright is pronounced Kur-coo'-bree!
And here I am hoping that the dangerous vegetable is KALE. I have scraped enough of it into the waste bin - I'd like a little vindication...
Oooooh, I don't know where I'd even begin (apart from with the letter C) to pronounce 'Culzean'. Culjun? Coojun? Cuezeen? Cousin? Am I close?
I've heard of a 'Dalziel' pronounce 'Dee-yell' - he was a character in a TV crime series, 'Dalziel & Pascoe'.
Nobody on this thread loves kale - but I jolly well do! I'm not sure I'd ever put it in a salad, though - it's rather bouncily chewy - I'd need to blanch it first at least. I'm afraid I'm just as in the dark as everybody else about what the death vegetable might be - I didn't dare click on the links! 🫣
I am not sure, but if following the "Dee-yell" example, then Culzean might be pronounced Cul- ane'? (Leaving out the LZ altogether?)
Regarding kale, I have found that if you cook it with coconut oil, it makes it easier to scrape into the bin. ha ha ha. I have also learned that if I keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks, it turns all soggy and slimy and has to be thrown out. But that never happens to Jammy Dodgers or Malteasers. Just saying...
I've let you down - I can't tell you what the death vegetable is, because I didn't dare click on the links... I'm a spam-averse scaredy-cat. Mind you, would kale ever BE part of a salad?
Could be lettuce, I guess, or avocado - although that's technically a fruit, not a vegetable - ditto cucumber. What else is green and salady? Arugula (which we called 'rocket')? Heck, I think I'll just steer clear of ALL veg - now that's a decision which is bound to increase my life expectancy.... 🤔
As an American it often seems to me that there are a lot of British names which are expressly designed to embarrass non-British speakers of the English language. The fact that St. John is apparently pronounced 'Sinjin' seems especially unfair! Worcestershire and the Thames river are also sore points--
We do have our own deceptive place names, to be honest. I live in Oregon, which is neither "Ore-gone" nor "Ory-gon" but "Ore-egg-un" and we have a valley called the Willamette. My dad always told people how to pronounce Willamette by rhyming "It's Willamette, damn it!"
I'm so sorry about your lack of sleep, Jill! And I can't spill the beans*, I'm afraid - I didn't dare click on the links, nor watch the video! #becausespam
*not beans. Well, at least I don't think so. Heck, it MIGHT be beans...... 😮
It's funny - I'd never come across the name 'Cadzow' until last week, when I was listening to a BBC radio programme about farm diversification. Featured were members of the Catto family who farm on Ling Island. I was so interested that I Googled Catto Ling Island. Nothing fit. Then Ling Island, and got a load of results for LONG Island.
Gave up in the end, and headed for the BBC Radio 4 website. Turns out it was the 'Cadzow' family from 'Luing Island' (pronounced 'Ling'). *sighs*
'The thing about Luing' - an episode of 'On Your Farm'
They came up with the first new British breed of beef cattle in 150 years, the Luing, back in the 1950s and 60s - but making a living for all the family from their island home isn’t straightforward. Richard Baynes takes the ferry to Luing off the coast Argyll in the west of Scotland, to find out how the Cadzows are making the best of this green but rocky island, trying to create jobs and a future for themselves and their workforce while also taking care of a place of stunning beauty.
Another thing which struck me recently is that I would do well to remember that somebody's 'wrong' pronunciation of a word like, say, 'picturesque' - which they are perhaps pronouncing as picture-skew - might be due to only ever having come across it in print rather than ever having heard it spoken.
Why do you two do this to me? I try to reduce my time on iPad, then what happens I realise I need to catch up on your letters….. but they make me laugh so I’ll just have to suffer and catch up again 😘😘
Your mind is a veritable warren of rabbit holes. I just love the eclecticism of your 'Letters'.
And please - if the veg IS kale as so many others seem to think, I can pull out the last plant of it in the veggie garden. It's sooooooo bitter. Bad as brussel sprouts!
As for kale - well, I seem to be outnumbered here, because I love the stuff! Anything in the cruciferous vegetable line is right up my street - sprouts, broccoli, white cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, cavolo nero, kaaaaaale........
And I can't tell what the vegetable is, because I dared neither to click on the links nor open the video. Spam is spam, after all. Who knows what bugs would be hiding within? 🐛
I think shredded Cavolo Nero cooks up a little more like spinach. We have Tuscan Blue Kale which is almost identical but has a sharp prickly edge and is unfriendly and by the time it cooks down in a delicate Tuscan White Bean soup, the soup has lost all flavour to the bitterness of the kale. Nope - English spinach for me from now on!
I learned new words - again - from Dear Reader 101: I didn't know that I/my Jim needed a theodolite or a transit, but I'm on the hunt for vintage-era of both, as my Jim loves that kind of stuff. I've seen those items before but didn't know their names. Our wedding anniversary is coming up - what a perfect gift. I also didn't know that a spirit level was called "spirit level" - another fav thing in our household. The Haitch Crime made me laugh! We Americans, or should I say Texans (though I'm not officially a Texan as I wasn't born here, nor were 8 generations before me), say "8ch". American cities that aren't pronounced as one might think: the city of Worcester is pronounced "Wuh-ster" (yes, it's near Bah-stun), and the town Concord (also near Bah-stun) is pronounced Con-curd. Great post, RH!!
Thanks, Mary! Vintage tools are brilliant, aren't they? For the first time a couple of days ago I came across a 'reed lamp' at a historical site - it was an iron holder for a narrow reed, or rush, which people who couldn't afford candles would use to light their way without burning their fingers by holding the reed itself. Short lengths of reed would be cut and dried, and then dipped in tallow to fuel a flame that would burn just long enough to get to bed!
What do you call a spirit level if it's not a spirit level? You've got me wondering!
We've got a Worcester - and a Worcestershire - over here - like yours, both pronounced rather differently to their spelling. Over here we say 'Los Angeleeeeeeez' for what in most US films sounds like 'Los Angelus'. There's a town in the west of England called 'Shrewsbury' which some pronounce 'Shrowsbreeeee' and others 'Shrewsbreeee' - it's confusing stuff, honestly!
I want a reed lamp now, and we call spirit levels just a level. Over here, we say LA 😂, and there's a Shrewsbury right outside of Boston! I know it! I should very much like to visit the UK sister towns that have the same names in Massachusetts. I should very much like a guide, photographer, and a native speaker for such a trip.
(The Fanshaw one!!! OMG!!!)
Oh dear, that’s now driven everything else totally out of my mind. Oops. Ah yes, Bubble the spirit level (or whatever those other technical terms referred to), the weather, Arthur Upfield! (I’ll have to look him up - this country is so extraordinarily beautiful), the letter ‘aitch’, and the ‘evil salad vegetable’!!! So much fake news around these days. Facebook is apparently using an AI to write more interesting versions of the news. Why worry about the truth when sensationalism makes more money. Sigh.
A terrific read. Thanks so much. (Safe work travels!)
I know, it's crazy, right? If I were called 'Featherstonehaugh' to be pronounced 'Fanshaw' I would certainly take immediate steps to change its spelling from the former to the latter!
I feel tremendously sorry for Arthur Upfield - I did part with money so that I could take the book home (one of three by him which were available, all with the same churlish blurb), so I will report back as to whether my own opinion is in any way similar to that of the Times Literary Supplement! 🤣
Curious: How would you pronounce Culzean Castle ( Ayrshire)? And the Surname Dalzeal? You pronounce those Zs? I learned that Kirkcudbright is pronounced Kur-coo'-bree!
And here I am hoping that the dangerous vegetable is KALE. I have scraped enough of it into the waste bin - I'd like a little vindication...
Fun letter, Rebecca! As always.
Oooooh, I don't know where I'd even begin (apart from with the letter C) to pronounce 'Culzean'. Culjun? Coojun? Cuezeen? Cousin? Am I close?
I've heard of a 'Dalziel' pronounce 'Dee-yell' - he was a character in a TV crime series, 'Dalziel & Pascoe'.
Nobody on this thread loves kale - but I jolly well do! I'm not sure I'd ever put it in a salad, though - it's rather bouncily chewy - I'd need to blanch it first at least. I'm afraid I'm just as in the dark as everybody else about what the death vegetable might be - I didn't dare click on the links! 🫣
I am not sure, but if following the "Dee-yell" example, then Culzean might be pronounced Cul- ane'? (Leaving out the LZ altogether?)
Regarding kale, I have found that if you cook it with coconut oil, it makes it easier to scrape into the bin. ha ha ha. I have also learned that if I keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks, it turns all soggy and slimy and has to be thrown out. But that never happens to Jammy Dodgers or Malteasers. Just saying...
I loved the uncomplimentary book blurb. Hilarious!
Re: the evil ingredient in salad. I (h)ope it's Kale. I (h)ate kale.
Jim, you've made me spill my tea!
I've let you down - I can't tell you what the death vegetable is, because I didn't dare click on the links... I'm a spam-averse scaredy-cat. Mind you, would kale ever BE part of a salad?
Could be lettuce, I guess, or avocado - although that's technically a fruit, not a vegetable - ditto cucumber. What else is green and salady? Arugula (which we called 'rocket')? Heck, I think I'll just steer clear of ALL veg - now that's a decision which is bound to increase my life expectancy.... 🤔
As an American it often seems to me that there are a lot of British names which are expressly designed to embarrass non-British speakers of the English language. The fact that St. John is apparently pronounced 'Sinjin' seems especially unfair! Worcestershire and the Thames river are also sore points--
Ah yes, Sinjun and Woostuhshuh and the Tems! I gather there is a 'Birmingham' in the US - pronounced 'Burming-ham', whereas ours is 'Burming-umm!
We do have our own deceptive place names, to be honest. I live in Oregon, which is neither "Ore-gone" nor "Ory-gon" but "Ore-egg-un" and we have a valley called the Willamette. My dad always told people how to pronounce Willamette by rhyming "It's Willamette, damn it!"
Joel abhors "haitch". I can countenance it (having grown up in Dublin) but say 'aitch' myself (having also grown up in the States).
Also- I must know the death vegetable. Please. This night's sleep hangs in the balance.
I'm so sorry about your lack of sleep, Jill! And I can't spill the beans*, I'm afraid - I didn't dare click on the links, nor watch the video! #becausespam
*not beans. Well, at least I don't think so. Heck, it MIGHT be beans...... 😮
*trots off to Google killer vegetable clickbait* I’ll report back.
I’m positive the British are doing criminal things to names with those.
We definitely are!!!
It's funny - I'd never come across the name 'Cadzow' until last week, when I was listening to a BBC radio programme about farm diversification. Featured were members of the Catto family who farm on Ling Island. I was so interested that I Googled Catto Ling Island. Nothing fit. Then Ling Island, and got a load of results for LONG Island.
Gave up in the end, and headed for the BBC Radio 4 website. Turns out it was the 'Cadzow' family from 'Luing Island' (pronounced 'Ling'). *sighs*
'The thing about Luing' - an episode of 'On Your Farm'
They came up with the first new British breed of beef cattle in 150 years, the Luing, back in the 1950s and 60s - but making a living for all the family from their island home isn’t straightforward. Richard Baynes takes the ferry to Luing off the coast Argyll in the west of Scotland, to find out how the Cadzows are making the best of this green but rocky island, trying to create jobs and a future for themselves and their workforce while also taking care of a place of stunning beauty.
Another thing which struck me recently is that I would do well to remember that somebody's 'wrong' pronunciation of a word like, say, 'picturesque' - which they are perhaps pronouncing as picture-skew - might be due to only ever having come across it in print rather than ever having heard it spoken.
That’s a great story! And definitely proof the English are wrecking English 😂
🤣 I can't deny it!!!!!!!!
Why do you two do this to me? I try to reduce my time on iPad, then what happens I realise I need to catch up on your letters….. but they make me laugh so I’ll just have to suffer and catch up again 😘😘
Oh Jo, I love absolutely every word of this gorgeous comment of yours - thank you so much, and I apologise for leading you astray! You're BRILLIANT!!!
Your mind is a veritable warren of rabbit holes. I just love the eclecticism of your 'Letters'.
And please - if the veg IS kale as so many others seem to think, I can pull out the last plant of it in the veggie garden. It's sooooooo bitter. Bad as brussel sprouts!
Tell us!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Prue!
As for kale - well, I seem to be outnumbered here, because I love the stuff! Anything in the cruciferous vegetable line is right up my street - sprouts, broccoli, white cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, cavolo nero, kaaaaaale........
And I can't tell what the vegetable is, because I dared neither to click on the links nor open the video. Spam is spam, after all. Who knows what bugs would be hiding within? 🐛
LOL - that goes for the kale too, I guess! 🤣
Yes to red cabbage and cavolo nero but everything else? May be the first time I disagree with you.
LOL, Prue! It's really interesting though that you enjoy cavolo nero but not kale - I've always felt they're pretty much on the same team! 🤣
I think shredded Cavolo Nero cooks up a little more like spinach. We have Tuscan Blue Kale which is almost identical but has a sharp prickly edge and is unfriendly and by the time it cooks down in a delicate Tuscan White Bean soup, the soup has lost all flavour to the bitterness of the kale. Nope - English spinach for me from now on!
I love the review blurbs on books too! I was laughing out loud about the evil veg and can't wait to see what Terry has to say.
😁 Thanks, Donna!