How to Say That? Dooly Noted - 65 Characters

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the pronunciation and usage of the term "dooly," exploring its origins, variations, and the implications of pronunciation differences between American and British English. Participants share personal anecdotes, corrections, and humorous takes on language, as well as references to cultural expressions and slang.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that electrons are not sentient and should not be anthropomorphized, while others express confusion over the technical language used in the discussion.
  • There are multiple interpretations of the term "dooly," with some attributing it to cultural references like Eliza Doolittle or Sgt Bilko, while others suggest it is a mispronunciation of "duly."
  • Participants share their experiences of being corrected on the spelling and pronunciation of "dooly," with some opting for slang alternatives like "m'kay."
  • Discussions about pronunciation differences highlight that "new" and "due" may be pronounced differently in British and American English, with some suggesting "nyew" for "new."
  • One participant humorously points out the complexities of English spelling and pronunciation, referencing historical influences and the evolution of the language.
  • There is a playful exchange regarding the pronunciation of words and the potential confusion for non-native speakers learning English.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the pronunciation and meaning of "dooly," with no consensus reached on its correct usage or origin. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of these pronunciation differences for language learners.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the historical complexities of English spelling and pronunciation, noting that variations may lead to confusion for learners. There are references to phonetic representations and cultural influences that shape language use.

Femme_physics
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Dooly noted :)
 
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Do not think that electrons are sentient. They are not intelligent agents, they are dumb particles. They do not "take a short-cut because they don't want to deal with stuff", they are "divided among parallel branches proportional to their conductance".

But the second sentence makes my brain hurts. The first sentence makes it go "oh okay!"

Duly. (It may have been a deliberate error, but I have no way of knowing that and I make it a point to correct non-native speaker's mistakes, just in case)

Someone once corrected me to doolly, another to dooly, and now you're to duly. I think I'll just start using "m'kay" from now on :P
 


Femme_physics said:
Someone once corrected me to doolly, another to dooly, and now you're to duly. I think I'll just start using "m'kay" from now on :P

You should look it up in the Urban dictionary:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dooly

It's kind of funny! :smile:
 


I thought Dooly came from Eliza Doolittle or Sgt Bilko.

:smile:

Actually it's all the Yanks' fault.

Look how they pronounce 'new' (nu)

And for 'duly' they say dooly.

Of course the also say

Walk me out in the mornin doo (doo =dew)

So FP I deduce that you have been watching too many Hollwood movies in your off-dooty.
 
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Studiot said:
I thought Dooly came from Eliza Doolittle or Sgt Bilko.

:smile:

Nope! Nothing so "nice"! o:)

[edit] Note that's about meaning number 7! :devil: [/edit]
 


;)

ILS and Studiot posting in the same thread is a total orgasm. There, I said it!
 


There, I said it!

Yes but how did you pronounce it?
 


Femme_physics said:
But the second sentence makes my brain hurts. The first sentence makes it go "oh okay!"



Someone once corrected me to doolly, another to dooly, and now you're to duly. I think I'll just start using "m'kay" from now on :P
When I correct someone, it tends to be to the "proper" term, rather than slang or a culture reference of some kind.
Studiot said:
I thought Dooly came from Eliza Doolittle or Sgt Bilko.

:smile:

Actually it's all the Yanks' fault.

Look how they pronounce 'new' (nu)

And for 'duly' they say dooly.

Of course the also say

Walk me out in the mornin doo (doo =dew)

So FP I deduce that you have been watching too many Hollwood movies in your off-dooty.
Okay Mr. Yank-Hater, tell this fellow from Michigan how you pronounce "noo" and "doo".

I suppose you also take issue with "color", "humor", and "theater", hm?
 
  • #10


I don't hate anyone except my bank manager.

:smile:

When I correct someone, it tends to be to the "proper" term, rather than slang or a culture reference of some kind.

Have you considered the serious point behind my light hearted way of putting it?

If someone learning British English heard an American pronounce 'duly' or 'due', but didn't see it written, how do you think they might spell it? Phonetically according to the international phonetic alphabet?

Which brings me to an old kid's joke

Mississippi is a very long word. How do you spell it?

eye - tee

:smile:
 
  • #11


Didn't answer my question. How do you Brits pronounce "new" and "due"?
 
  • #12


Jiggy-Ninja said:
Didn't answer my question. How do you Brits pronounce "new" and "due"?

Not sure about "due" but I've heard Brits pronounce "new" as "nyew".
 
  • #14
You met her on the mountain, there you took her life?
You met her on the mountain, stabbed her with your knife?
Hang down your head Tom, dooley!
 
  • #15


lisab said:
Not sure about "due" but I've heard Brits pronounce "new" as "nyew".

Almost. The Oxford Eng. Dict. gives the pronunciation in the international phonetic alphabet as nju:

n as in next
j as the y is yes
u: as the oo in too

Duly is dju:li
Dooley is an Irish surname.

The IPA "j" is half of the difference between New York and Noo Yoik.

Hang down your head Tom, dooley!
Before the Urban Dictionary, that line was

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley!
 
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  • #16
We find these differences in pronunciation mildly amusing, but imagine the frustration of someone learning English as an adult and trying to work out what this sentence is all about:

Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like an apricot.
 
  • #17
We can blame the French for most of the confusion. Anglo-Saxon was a nice logical spoken and written language, before William the Conqueror turned English into a complete mess of half Anglo-Saxon and half Old French.

This is why English often has two words for the same thing - like cows and sheep (Anglo-Saxon) turn into beef and mutton (Old French) when you eat them.

When the printing press was first invented, many of the first printers were Belgian or German, and they just made up the spelling of English as they went along - and once something is in print, then it becomes permanent.

Chaucer wrote a few rants about that - including issues like whether the plural of egg should be eggys or eighren (and the plural of child is still children, not childs - though some parts of the US split the difference with childers.)
 
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