# Did this Wheel of Fortune lady get hosed or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845 "2012-12-22T16:38:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/1 "2012-12-22T16:38:51Z")
Wheel of Fortune has always been picky about pronunciation. But imho they took it to a new level of douchery this week. Contestant didn’t pronounce the G in swimming. :dubious: But, the G letter was already revealed. Seems like the contestant knew the G was there and had an accent. short video at the bottom. Was she cheated or not? > **[Did 'Wheel of Fortune' cheat contestant?](https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/did-wheel-of-fortune-cheat-contestant)** > > We'd like to buy a do-over, Pat. Other game shows like Millionaire and Are You Smarter than 5th Grader seem more reasonable about pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/2 "2012-12-22T16:54:03Z")
Yeah, I’d say that was overzealous enforcement of whatever pronunciation rules they have. I couldn’t even say with 100% certainty that she didn’t nasalize that “ng.” There technically isn’t a “g” sound there anyway, and saying a hard “g” is over-enunciating (which I do sometimes in my accent.) I mean, did she say [n] or did she say [ŋ]? Can you really tell with certainty and, if you can’t, it’s pretty darned obvious she knows it, given the “g” is up there. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/3 "2012-12-22T17:01:09Z")
Actually, I should correct myself. “N” is a nasal. The distinction is whether it is alveolar or velar. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/4 "2012-12-22T17:16:40Z")
I like how Pat answered “Yeah…”. As in “Yeah - you’re not going to like this”. I am all for enforcing the rules, but not sure what the rules are here. If it is streets in New York and the word is “Houston” do you lose if you leave out the U? How about the “t” in “Colbert Report” ? If the last word had been “swimmin’” and she answered “swimming” - would they have counted that wrong? I’m going to vote for screwed ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/5 "2012-12-22T17:18:09Z")
I’ve seen Family Feud bring back families for a do over after a questionable judge’s call. I can’t recall Wheel ever doing that for a contestant. They are pretty strict and inflexible. Screwing over a person serving our country is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/6 "2012-12-22T17:36:30Z")
Alex. I’d like to buy a U (two of em). And an H. And a K. And a C. Let me get a Y. An O would be nice too. A P should round things out nicely. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/7 "2012-12-22T18:20:45Z")
She was robbed. And in this case, I don’t think bringin’ the contestant back for another show would be enough compensation. She might not win anything on a new show. I think she should just be given whatever she was entitled to when she gave the right answer. However, I’m sure all contestants sign releases that stipulate that they will abide by decisions made by the judges and slink away quietly when it is all over. So my guess is, what’s done is done. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/8 "2012-12-22T18:31:27Z")
I bet they are also told beforehand that if a word ends with a G, you’d better pronounce it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/9 "2012-12-22T18:37:47Z")
“Would you like to make a guess?” “Yes, ta-heh ku-nig-huts off ta-heh roh-un-da tab-leh.” ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/10 "2012-12-22T18:47:29Z")
Depends on what they tell the contestants before the show. Do they very clearly say they must enunciate every sound correctly? ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/11 "2012-12-22T18:59:47Z")
I guess she was robbed but she did say swimmin. No g at all. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/12 "2012-12-22T19:35:34Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > I guess she was robbed but she did say swimmin. No g at all. I listened to it a few more times, and I can’t say definitively that there’s no velar “n” in there. It sounds to me like there may be there, though soft. And the more I listen to it, the more I think it actually is there. The person who answer correctly, the “ng” isn’t that much more enunciated, either. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/13 "2012-12-22T19:38:18Z")
Yes, I think they should have given her the win. I’ve heard people pronounce things much less clearly on that show and still get the prize. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/14 "2012-12-22T19:49:48Z")
Years ago I thought they were wrong for not giving a contestant credit for Tatum O’neal when she pronounced it tat-um with a short A. Therefore I think they blew this one. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/15 "2012-12-22T22:07:52Z")
I don’t know what the show rules are. I say she got hosed, but maybe they point out ahead of time that words have to be properly pronounced. For all I know she didn’t realize there was another letter on the board and thought the right answer was swimmin, without the G. If I had money on the line I’d be using my best enunciation, and not complaining if I got it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/16 "2012-12-22T22:17:29Z")
So this show discriminates against rednecks and hillbillies? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/17 "2012-12-22T22:38:06Z")
And people from Bawston who live near the hawbor and like their kars. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/18 "2012-12-22T23:50:54Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > And people from Bawston who live near the hawbor and like their kars. Hawbuh and kahs ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/19 "2012-12-23T01:07:45Z")
My translator app was written by hillbillies. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845/20 "2012-12-23T01:20:11Z")
I had a friend whose Dad goes on the show and they are told to pronounce things clearly, especially things like this. She did not get hosed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-this-wheel-of-fortune-lady-get-hosed-or-not/644845.md?page=2)