how do you prononce shire in bedfordshire , Buckinghamshire ,Cambridgeshire, Cheshire etc...
a shire is prononce is with the sound [ai] and Yorkshire is prononce [ er], why ?
i know this question may sound stupid but it's quite tricky for a native french speaker !
2007-03-09 23:09:29 · 19 answers · asked by Evil but Wonderful 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
You will have gathered that there is no one correct pronouciation of the word. Southern English will probably favour "shear" whilst us Northern Beauties prefer "shyer".
Say it how you wish, we will make allowances for you.
2007-03-09 23:43:12 · answer #1 · answered by Raymo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The difference is simply down to local dialects. I come from Hampshire (shire pronounced with an "ear" ending to the word) while I live in Wiltshire (pronounced with an err) ending. Its all purely down to local accents.
Bedfordshire is pronounced with an "ire" ending, as is Buckinghamshire. Cambridgeshire and Cheshire have an "ear" ending.
2007-03-10 07:14:57 · answer #2 · answered by Tiffers 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you want to be entirely accurate the shire part is pronounced as sh i ..er with the i as in eye.
Any English person will just say Yorksha or lancasha.
Even then it depends from which county a person comes from
2007-03-10 07:17:53 · answer #3 · answered by shannow5858 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way to describe it from a French point of view would be "cheur", as in "pécheur".
In olden times it was pronounced to rhyme with "fire" and the pronunciation has evolved into the present "shurh".
You might find this link useful: http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:RKkf8qmc6okJ:www.punctuationtips.com/pronunciation.html+shire+pronunciation&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
2007-03-10 07:19:01 · answer #4 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Regional pronunciation varies. Those in the north (i.e. from most of those counties) will pronounce it to ryhme with higher or ear, but in the south, people tend to pronounce it as in pressure. This is the "correct" pronunciation - i.e. that used by the BBC in days gone by.
2007-03-10 13:26:05 · answer #5 · answered by CFS 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
prononce is french but there is a word in english pronounce,
which means how to speak
2007-03-10 08:59:47 · answer #6 · answered by P T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is just down to which accent someone has. "Shy-er" would seem the most accurate pronounciation, but there is nothing actually "wrong" with "Sher" or "Shuh".
2007-03-10 07:13:49 · answer #7 · answered by The Oak 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does it really matter, everybody said it difference.
BED FORD Shy er
or BED FORD sure
2007-03-10 07:18:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I pronounce it: sher or shur
but I have a farmerish accent! LOL! :D
2007-03-10 07:11:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
all it is is like in any country different parts have different dialects and tend to pronounce words differently
2007-03-10 07:13:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋