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Discussion » Questions » Language » Marshmellows and wheelbarrels.

Marshmellows and wheelbarrels.

Do you pronounce these two words exactly the way they are spelled, or do you pronounce them colloquially, the way that many people pronounce them: marshmallow and wheelbarrow?
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Posted - August 26, 2022

Responses


  • 10449
    I pronounce them -

    Marsh-mell-oz
    Wheel-bear-o (singular or plural)


    My neighbor used to pronounce wheelbarrow, "wheel-burro".
    My dad pronounced it "wheel burr-a".

      August 26, 2022 11:28 AM MDT
    4

  • 44175
    For marshmallows, i use a 'schwa' for the e and I pronounce wheelbarrows as written. This post was edited by Element 99 at August 27, 2022 12:55 PM MDT
      August 26, 2022 3:53 PM MDT
    2

  • 16199
    I never realised that the second vowel was an "a" until I'd been saying "marshmellow" for too long to change. As for the other, just about all Aussies drop the first syllable entirely and call it a "barra" or "barrer".
      August 26, 2022 10:04 PM MDT
    3

  • 13251
    Wheelbarrels? I have never heard that, lol.
      August 26, 2022 10:08 PM MDT
    2

  • 52905

     

      Perhaps not in or around New York, or perhaps not anywhere on the East Coast, but with people from or in many other parts of the US, if you listen very closely, they never pronounce those two words using the -mallow and -barrow endings. It’s more of -barrel and -mellow. 

      I came upon this realization as a child when in elementary school. I was probably in the first or second grade, it’s been so long that I can’t remember for sure. I had to write the word marshmallow and it came back as wrong on my spelling test of 10 words. It was quite unusual for me to misspell a word, so I didn’t understand why or how I had it incorrect. Subconsciously, what I realized was that I had never really paid attention to seeing the word written out, so that when I took the test, I was sounding it out and wrote it in like manner.

      There are many other words that are spelled one way yet colloquially pronounced a different way that deviates very far from the spelling. I didn’t do it that way because I realized that what I was asking for in the question would not be easily understood, resulting in answers that I would have to disqualify, thereby causing a lot of fights and arguments. Grrrrrrr.
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    This post was edited by Randy D at August 27, 2022 11:36 AM MDT
      August 27, 2022 8:33 AM MDT
    2

  • 13251
    Like "fuhgeddaboudit" here in Brooklyn!
      August 27, 2022 10:35 AM MDT
    1