# Do "thing" and "sing" rhyme to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718 "2012-02-13T16:27:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/1 "2012-02-13T16:27:28Z")
This [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=641861) about phonics and regional accents reminded me of a discussion I had with my five year old the other night. She is learning to read, which means we are reading Hop on Pop over and over and over again. Two sections kind of stump us. > [@](#): > > WET > GET > > Two dogs get wet. To us, “wet” and “get” don’t rhyme. No worries, I’m from the Midwest and we have trouble with short e’s. I believe that for many people, these words do rhyme. However… > [@](#): > > THING > SING > > That thing can sing. Bwah? Surely, those words don’t actually rhyme in anyone’s accent, do they? If you do think they rhyme, where are you from? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/2 "2012-02-13T16:33:12Z")
Both pairs of words rhyme for me. I’m from Southern Ontario. I’m surprised to hear that they _don’t_ rhyme for you. I’d like to hear how you say them. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/3 "2012-02-13T16:35:39Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Both pairs of words rhyme for me. I’m from Southern Ontario. I’m surprised to hear that they _don’t_ rhyme for you. I’d like to hear how you say them. Copy that. I’m from Alabama and Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/4 "2012-02-13T16:37:28Z")
Heck yes they rhyme. So do wet and get. Michigan here. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/5 "2012-02-13T16:38:10Z")
I’m from Northern Californian and both pairs of words totally rhyme for me. I’m surprised to hear they might not for some people. I guess if you pronounce “thing” as “thang” it would not rhyme with sing. But how on earth do “wet” and “get” not rhyme? ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/6 "2012-02-13T16:38:48Z")
Thing and sing rhyme for me. I grew up in rural, central Minnesota and live in Chicago now. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/7 "2012-02-13T16:39:43Z")
How would “thing” and “sing” not rhyme? Do you say “thang” or something. Alabama here. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/8 "2012-02-13T16:40:32Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I’m from Northern Californian and both pairs of words totally rhyme for me. I’m surprised to hear they might not for some people. I guess if you pronounce “thing” as “thang” it would not rhyme with sing. But how on earth do “wet” and “get” not rhyme? Wet and get _kind of_ rhyme in my mind. I think I say “get” more as “git.” ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/9 "2012-02-13T16:40:34Z")
I’m confused. How do you say thing and sing so that they don’t rhyme? How in the world are you surprised that they do in other places? I’m from the South. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/10 "2012-02-13T16:41:02Z")
If I purposefully slow down ‘get’ and ‘wet’ rhyme. But if I slip into my mill town North Carolina upbringing, then I hear it as ‘git’ and ‘wet’ which, to me, do not rhyme. ‘Thing’ and ‘sing’ always rhyme for me. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/11 "2012-02-13T16:43:47Z")
They rhyme. From West Texas. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/12 "2012-02-13T16:44:55Z")
Both rhyme for me (generic mid-Atlantic). I can kind of “git” that get and wet wouldn’t – but how on earth do you say thing or sing that they don’t? ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/13 "2012-02-13T16:47:01Z")
I’m from Western Canada and both pairs rhyme for me. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/14 "2012-02-13T16:48:49Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Both pairs of words rhyme for me. I’m from Southern Ontario. I’m surprised to hear that they _don’t_ rhyme for you. I’d like to hear how you say them. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/15 "2012-02-13T16:50:08Z")
Midwest. Both sets rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/16 "2012-02-13T16:55:15Z")
Both pairs rhyme for me. Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/17 "2012-02-13T16:58:12Z")
Yes, both pairs of words rhyme. Western Canada. Also, “pen” rhymes with “then”; “pin” rhymes with “gin”. I’ve heard tell that some folks may disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/18 "2012-02-13T17:02:43Z")
Yep, both pairs rhyme for me. Originally from Michigan. I’d also love to hear how you say them. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/19 "2012-02-13T17:06:57Z")
Grew up in Vermont, both sets of word rhyme. This also might be the closest we’ve come on the Boards to a consensus regarding word pronunciation…at least in the threads it comes up…aside from the OP, everyone is in agreement! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/20 "2012-02-13T17:09:24Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Grew up in Vermont, both sets of word rhyme. > > This also might be the closest we’ve come on the Boards to a consensus regarding word pronunciation…at least in the threads it comes up…aside from the OP, everyone is in agreement! It is rather astounding. I sense a joke of some type. Maybe it’s going to be like “ghoti” or something. The OP’s “location” is interesting. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718.md?page=2)