Why do Americans pronounce centaurs "centars"???

[turnip_farmer]

Dunno, why do the British pronounce aluminum as alyouminnieum? From whence hails this extra syllable?

From the same place as the American spelling, funnily enough. The word was coined by Humphry Davy, who used at least three different spellings in different publications (alumium, aluminum, aluminium). Not sure if he was indecisive or just forgetful.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Reminds me of an episode of Top Gear years ago, when a (presumably American) wrote in a question, "Why do you pronounce Jaguar like that?" And Jeremy Clarkson quipped, "Because that's how it's spelled." and moved on to the next question lol.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Also, and I admit this just seems like an observation on my part and not any thing actually provable, but it seems like there are wider and more distinct variations on accents and pronunciations within Britain itself, than between Britain and the US. That is, it sounds like someone from London and someone from New York sound closer than someone from London and someone from Wales compared to New York and Birmingham AL. Or heck, someone from Cardiff and someone from Lancashire lol.

 

[werecorpse]

From the same place as the American spelling, funnily enough. The word was coined by Humphry Davy, who used at least three different spellings in different publications (alumium, aluminum, aluminium). Not sure if he was indecisive or just forgetful.

It’s commonly referred to as Aluminium in Australia as well - Its likely just America that doesn’t have the second I.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I did a ton of reading as a kid, but not a ton of talking. So there were a lot of words I knew how to read, but not pronounce.

When I started running D&D, every once in a while I'd catch my friends staring at me with a funny look. I'd ask, "Okay, what did I say wrong?"

This was how I learned to correctly pronounce writhes, scimitar, and of course, coup de grace.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

"Why do Americans pronounce centaurs "centars"???"

This is never the proper question; the proper question is always, "Why do other people pronounce the word wrong?"

When an American pronounces a word it sounds like just what it is supposed to mean—neither more nor less. That why American is the lingua franca of the world.

 

[Undrave]

Dunno, why do the British pronounce aluminum as alyouminnieum? From whence hails this extra syllable?

From French.

 

[Undrave]

I did a ton of reading as a kid, but not a ton of talking. So there were a lot of words I knew how to read, but not pronounce.

When I started running D&D, every once in a while I'd catch my friends staring at me with a funny look. I'd ask, "Okay, what did I say wrong?"

This was how I learned to correctly pronounce writhes, scimitar, and of course, coup de grace.

English speakers never pronounce that one right...

 

[embee]

Every time I hear this (just been listening to dungeoncast episode) it drives me nuts, like fingernails on a blackboard...there is a 'u' in it, so is "Centaur" like "Dinosaur".....aargh

Same reason we don't pronounce the useless and extraneous "u"s in color and flavor.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Dunno, why do the British pronounce aluminum as alyouminnieum? From whence hails this extra syllable?

Just whence; the "from" is redundant.