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Kay-toe or Cat-O

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  • Member since
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  • From: Martinez, CA
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Posted by markpierce on Monday, May 19, 2008 2:21 PM

There are interesting results with the overlap of societies, such as the Anglo and Hispanic cultures in California.  Some place names like Martinez are pronounced pretty much like they are in Spanish, while names like Pinole, San Francisco and California are not.  Some names are hybridized with the "San" or "Santa" anglicized while the remainder Hispanic, such as San Jose and Santa Cruz, or like Vallejo where the "ll" is anglicized while the  "e" and "j" are not.

I avoided a social blunder when mispronouncing a Hispanic man's name of Jesus.  Fortunately, I was speaking with the fellow's supervisor rather than to  (mortal man) Jesus  directly.  May we all be sensitive to the preferred pronunciation of someone's name, and that people be patient with those unfamiliar with that preference.

Marco Perforar (with the accent on the last syllable, please)

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Posted by twhite on Monday, May 19, 2008 6:25 PM

Mark--

Brings up an interesting point.  I was born in Nevada City.  "Nevada" of course, being the Spanish word for "Snow."  Nevada City was also founded in the 1850's by New Englanders and Cornish miners, who pronounced the word "Nuh-vaa-duh".  Grew up with that name.  Now, of course, with the influx of newcomers into the area who insist on pronouncing it the way it 'should' be pronounced, most of the natives (including myself) don't know what the Holy Heck you're talking about, LOL!  However, I will admit that "San FraanCISSS-KOE" has always kind of gotten to me.  And don't even talk to me about "PASSSO ROBELLEES." 

The lady from the East Coast who told her friend that she spent the summer in California.  Friend asked her where she stayed.  She said "San Josey."  Friend corrected her, said the word was pronounced "Ho-SAY," that in California, "J's" are pronounced like "H's."  Friend asked the lady when she was there, lady smirked and said, "Hune and Huly."

Tom Tongue [:P]

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Posted by markpierce on Monday, May 19, 2008 7:09 PM
 twhite wrote:

Mark--

Brings up an interesting point.  I was born in Nevada City.  "Nevada" of course, being the Spanish word for "Snow."  Nevada City was also founded in the 1850's by New Englanders and Cornish miners, who pronounced the word "Nuh-vaa-duh".  Grew up with that name.  Now, of course, with the influx of newcomers into the area who insist on pronouncing it the way it 'should' be pronounced, most of the natives (including myself) don't know what the Holy Heck you're talking about, LOL!  However, I will admit that "San FraanCISSS-KOE" has always kind of gotten to me.  And don't even talk to me about "PASSSO ROBELLEES." 

Tom Tongue [:P]

If they were speaking Spanish, then the newcomers were correct.  If speaking English, they incorrectly pronounced the names, and showed either disrespect or ignorance for places such as Nevada City founded by English-speaking immigrants.  If speaking English, I would say Milan.  If speaking Italian, I'd say Milano.  Other examples of using the correct name depends on the language you are speaking are Norway/Norge, Finland/Suomi, Denmark/Danmark, Germany/Deutschland, Prague/Praha, Belgrade/Beograd, United States/Estados Unidos, China/the-middle-country (translated), and United States/the-beautiful-country (translated). 

Mark

 

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Posted by WP 3020 on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 2:02 AM

 shawnee wrote:
Evidently Dan Quayle spells it Katoe, however.

Just to let you now, Dan Quayle was reading off the teachers flash cards and if you ever had the occasion to have a public engagement such as that with the press it can be rather nerv racking and one tends to rely on speaking notes or what is written down. But why did Obama said the USA has 57 states and they speak Arabic in Afghanistan and all the Arabic translators are in Iraq when we should have them in Afghanistan?

Anyway, I always say Koto like Caught-Oh.

Railroads are "a device of Satan to lead immortal souls to hell." - an Ohio school board, 1831 - quoted in CTC Board 8/05 "If you ever wonder how you have freedom... Think, a veteran!!!" - My thought 1/08 Hey man, I don't have to try to remember the 60's... I lived too close to Eugene, Oregon.
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Posted by shawnee on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:12 AM
 WP 3020 wrote:

 shawnee wrote:
Evidently Dan Quayle spells it Katoe, however.

Just to let you now, Dan Quayle was reading off the teachers flash cards and if you ever had the occasion to have a public engagement such as that with the press it can be rather nerv racking and one tends to rely on speaking notes or what is written down. But why did Obama said the USA has 57 states and they speak Arabic in Afghanistan and all the Arabic translators are in Iraq when we should have them in Afghanistan?

Anyway, I always say Koto like Caught-Oh.

Well, yes...but I did hear that he did a corkscrew landing in each of those extra states, and that they were full of Sunnis,...or was it Shiites?

Wink [;)]

Shawnee
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Posted by johncolley on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:53 AM
Actually, neither! The name is Japanese and the a has a broad "ah" sound and the o has a long "oh" sound, so it is kahtoe. jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
jc5729
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Posted by Bergie on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 11:39 AM
 Ballantrae Road wrote:

This maybe a repeat thread,,,,but geez, is Cody right when he pronounces Kato as Cat-Oh? 

As for me....Kato is ....Kay-toe

Hope this doesn't create a war.

Ok now l'll go play with my trains and keep quiet.

 

Tom

Yes, Cody's right. It's Kah-Toe (I know from having visited their offices during my days of selling advertising for Model Railroader).

Erik

Erik Bergstrom
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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 5:50 PM

Seeing as though everyone is having pronunciation lessons, lets all try aluminium !

It is not pronounced aloominum, the correct way to pronounce it is al-u-min-i (e)-um !

And as for spelling and the term US English, what the hell is that ? English is English, gaol not jail, colour not color, realise not realize, etc, etc.

Don't feel too bad though, even the English can't pronounce their own language properly, for example anyone ever seen My Fair Lady ? I rest my case !

Sorry in advance, don't anyone take offense, I'm just having a dig at me mates ( Australian for joke )!

Warren ( proudly speeking Aussie English ) Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D]

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:10 PM
SymbolNameAtomic NumberAtomic WeightGroup Number
AlAluminum1326.987538(2)13

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: silvery

The ancient Greeks and Romans used aluminum in medicines as an astringent, and in dyeing. It was originally spelled Aluminium up until the 1920's, when is was changed to Aluminum.  Aluminum is the most abundant element found in the Earth's crust, but never found free in nature.  Aluminum has many uses ranging from kitchen utensils to the siding used for decorating the outside of a house to various other industrial applications

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by Teditor on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:12 PM

Kah-toe? Kay-to? 

Barkman? Backman? Barshman?

Train? Train? Train?

The last one is the important one!

Teditor

Another Aussie, Ozzy, (Are-see!). 

 

Teditor

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Posted by Teditor on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:14 PM
 Phoebe Vet wrote:
SymbolNameAtomic NumberAtomic WeightGroup Number
AlAluminum1326.987538(2)13

Description

Standard State: solid at 298 K
Color: silvery

The ancient Greeks and Romans used aluminum in medicines as an astringent, and in dyeing. It was originally spelled Aluminium up until the 1920's, when is was changed to Aluminum.  Aluminum is the most abundant element found in the Earth's crust, but never found free in nature.  Aluminum has many uses ranging from kitchen utensils to the siding used for decorating the outside of a house to various other industrial applications

Still spelt 'Aluminium' in Awestralia!

Teditor 

Teditor

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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:18 PM
I'll remember that if I'm ever tempted to move to Botany Bay.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:23 PM
 Teditor wrote:
still spelt 'Aluminium' in Awestralia!

Teditor 

Still that way in Inglish too !

Warren 

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:25 PM

 Phoebe Vet wrote:
I'll remember that if I'm ever tempted to move to Botany Bay.

or perhaps England, from where the language and spelling originated ! Big Smile [:D]

Warren

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:27 PM

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:33 PM
 Phoebe Vet wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPu-C5vvzU4

 

LOL Laugh [(-D], very good Phoebe Vet !

Nice use of OZ English by Rolf in that song !

Warren

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by tomikawaTT on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:37 PM

My very favo(u)rite is a pronunciation difference that points up a major clash of two cultures that don't quite share a common language.

The word is LABORATORY.  Spelled the same on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the United States, it's LAB - ra -tory.  Accent on the labor.

Elsewhere in the English speaking world, it's lab - O -ratory.  Accent on the oratory.

I rest my case.

Chuck (ducking for cover in Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:41 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

Best I could do for laboratory.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by Big Ugly Waz on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:48 PM
 Phoebe Vet wrote:

Best I could do for laboratory.

Good enough, phoebe Vet, I needed a good laugh this morning !

Warren

Better to ask a stupid question than to make a Really STUPID mistake !
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Posted by Packers#1 on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 7:34 PM
 Phoebe Vet wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

Best I could do for laboratory.

Awesome, man. LOL

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by WP 3020 on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 8:56 PM
 tomikawaTT wrote:

My very favo(u)rite is a pronunciation difference that points up a major clash of two cultures that don't quite share a common language.

The word is LABORATORY.  Spelled the same on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the United States, it's LAB - ra -tory.  Accent on the labor.

Elsewhere in the English speaking world, it's lab - O -ratory.  Accent on the oratory.

I rest my case.

Chuck (ducking for cover in Central Japan in September, 1964)

I thought James Bond said it  lab-OR-a-tory or lab-OR-a-tree  kind of like the lava tree when you get sloppy on a plane.

Railroads are "a device of Satan to lead immortal souls to hell." - an Ohio school board, 1831 - quoted in CTC Board 8/05 "If you ever wonder how you have freedom... Think, a veteran!!!" - My thought 1/08 Hey man, I don't have to try to remember the 60's... I lived too close to Eugene, Oregon.
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Posted by Teditor on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 12:11 AM
 Phoebe Vet wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

Best I could do for laboratory.

Nothing to do with the quote, but how do you pronounce 'Phoebe'?

Teditor 

Teditor

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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 5:06 AM
 Teditor wrote:
 Phoebe Vet wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

Best I could do for laboratory.

Nothing to do with the quote, but how do you pronounce 'Phoebe'?

Teditor 

You pronounce it:   FeeBee

Phoebe was a common woman's name in the 30s.

In 1949, Lackawanna Railroad invented a ficticious NYC socialite named Phoebe Snow for an advertising campaign promoting the fact that the Lackawanna burned anthracite, a very hard blue colored coal which burned very clean.  She always dressed in white to show that you didn't get covered in soot when you rode Lackawanna passenger trains.

They named their premier train after her.

Interesting side note.  The Train, Phoebe Snow, was never pulled by steam.  She was pulled originally by an F3 ABA consist, and later by E8s.

A singer used the name briefly during the 90s.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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Posted by Teditor on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:02 AM

Phoebe Vet, 

Appreciate the explanation and history.

Teditor. 

Teditor

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Posted by tstage on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:18 AM

Slightly OT interjection: There was also a pop-singer in the 70s by the name of Phoebe Snow.  Her first name was Phoebe but she changed the last name from Laub to Snow for her stage name.

Okay.  Now that that's out of the way.  Back to our regularly scheduled program...

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by jkroft on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:39 AM
I never thought that I'd get a phonetic lesson on a MRR forum.  By the way, why isn't "phonetic" spelled the way it sounds?

"You show me a man with both feet on the ground and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants on." -anonymous

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 10:40 AM

 jkroft wrote:
I never thought that I'd get a phonetic lesson on a MRR forum.  By the way, why isn't "phonetic" spelled the way it sounds?

Because the Greeks had a word for it - it being Phoneme, one of the elementary units of speech that differentiate one sound from another.  For reasons known only to them, the scholars who first wrote the Greek phoneme pho (pronounced FOE) in Roman letters chose to use ph for the F sound.  Hence Telephone, Microphone and, yes, Phonetics.

Does phony sprout from the same root?  Deponent saith not.

For our next exercise, why does the noun for the clown in a tin suit on a horse start with a K that isn't pronounced?

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Posted by selector on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 11:13 AM
Old Saxon was similar to German.  Each used knecht to indicate a servant.  How it got to be silent is unknown to me.
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Posted by lonewoof on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 3:57 PM

If you ever watch "Jeopardy", and the correct 'question' is 'antimony', an American contestant will pronounce it "AN ti MO ny". Alex Trebek (Canadian) will correct them: "an TIM ony". I've taken lots of chemistry courses, and NEVER heard that pronunciation (neither has the dictionary!)

 

NEITHER: NEE ther?  NY ther?

let's call the whole thing off. 

/Lone

 

Remember: In South Carolina, North is southeast of Due West... HIOAg /Bill

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Posted by Phoebe Vet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 4:06 PM

Big deal.  In spite of the fact that every comedian on the planet mocks him for it, the frat boy in chief still can't pronounce NUCLEAR.  (Nukular?)

And, of course, I'm still waiting for Brett to explain to us why Favre is pronounced FARVE.

Has anyone ever axed him?

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

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