# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/21 "2012-02-13T17:16:34Z")
Both pairs rhyme for me. I’m from the Pacific Northwest. I’m also really curious how you’re pronouncing ‘sing’ and ‘thing’ so that they don’t rhyme! ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/22 "2012-02-13T17:27:23Z")
I’ve read Hop on Pop many, many times in the last seven years. I’ve never had a problem with any of the words not rhyming. I can’t imagine “sing” and “thing” not rhyming, and I hope the OP comes back to explain how she says them differently. ---
**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, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/23 "2012-02-13T17:31:39Z")
Oh, good lord. I pronounce “get” with a short i sound - “git.” “Wet” has a more standard short e. “Thing” is more like “thang” - in fact, this is one of those words that took me forever to learn to spell, because I could never remember which vowel went in there. “Sing” has I guess a long e vowel sound. I can’t even try to make them rhyme without it sounding weird. I’m going to go ask people to read that page for me. My accent is primarily Midwestern (St. Louis) with a dash of rural Kentucky, but perhaps this is my own idiosyncrasy. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/24 "2012-02-13T17:32:00Z")
I imagine they rhyme everywhere but in Maryland, where the OP appears to be from. I can’t access Youtube, but it seems to me I watched a guy replacing a water pump on a Jeep Grand Cherokee once and I think he was from Maryland. Quite an accent to my ear. ETA: BetsQ is apparently not from Maryland after all. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/25 "2012-02-13T17:32:38Z")
Both sets rhyme to me. I’m originally from Iowa. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/26 "2012-02-13T17:34:28Z")
Maybe **BetsQ** is from a deep South enclave where thing and sing don’t rhyme in dialect. But she’s gotta know that for most English-speakers that’s an obvious rhyme. We have to be precise about this stuff. _The tune don’t have to be clever, And it don’t matter if you put a coupla extra syllables into a line. It sounds more ethnic if it ain’t good english, And it don’t even gotta rhyme–excuse me–rhyne._ - Tom Lehrer ---
**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, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/27 "2012-02-13T17:39:25Z")
I’m in Maryland now - it’s not local to here, either. So **BetsQ** : I can imagine the “thang”-ish pronunciation, but I’m not sure what you mean by “sing” having a “long e vowel sound”. Is it kind of like “seen” with a “ng” on the end? ---
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/28 "2012-02-13T17:40:00Z")
I’m in Buffalo, NY - born and raised here. I tend to pronounce “get” more like “git.” But “thing” and “sing” definitely rhyme when I say them. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/29 "2012-02-13T17:53:27Z")
I’ve definitely heard “thing” pronounced “thang” in the South, but the same speakers would, I think, also pronounce “sing” as “sang.” ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/30 "2012-02-13T17:55:38Z")
thing and sing don’t rhyme. sing rhymes with ring wet and get don’t rhyme ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/31 "2012-02-13T17:57:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I imagine they rhyme everywhere but in Maryland, where the OP appears to be from. > > I can’t access Youtube, but it seems to me I watched a guy replacing a water pump on a Jeep Grand Cherokee once and I think he was from Maryland. Quite an accent to my ear. > > ETA: BetsQ is apparently not from Maryland after all. I’m from Maryland, and they rhyme for me. There’s definitely a Maryland accent (see any of the threads on The Wire for reference), but it’s more pronounced with long o sounds than “-ing” or “-et.” ---
**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, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/32 "2012-02-13T17:58:52Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > thing and sing don’t rhyme. sing rhymes with ring > > wet and get don’t rhyme …in your dialect. They do in mine. In your dialect, what does ‘thing’ rhyme with? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/33 "2012-02-13T18:00:18Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > In your dialect, what does ‘thing’ rhyme with? “Orange.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/34 "2012-02-13T18:01:16Z")
Grew up in Texas, have lived in greater Los Angeles for over 15 years. _Thing_ and _sing_ rhyme to me. (Both rhyme with _ring_ and _bling_.) _Get_ and _wet_ also rhyme when I say them. (Both rhyme with _pet_, _net_, and _set_.) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/35 "2012-02-13T18:09:18Z")
I’m just curious, OP, when you hear radio or television news announcers, or even T.V. or movie characters, pronouncing the word “thing” or “get”, how do they sound to you? Are you aware that your pronunciation is an unusual one? ---
**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, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/36 "2012-02-13T18:10:51Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I’m in Maryland now - it’s not local to here, either. > > So **BetsQ** : I can imagine the “thang”-ish pronunciation, but I’m not sure what you mean by “sing” having a “long e vowel sound”. Is it kind of like “seen” with a “ng” on the end? I am in Maryland now, but there are so many transplants in the DC area (at least in my social circles) that it would be hard for me to identify a particular Maryland accent. And yes, “sing” and “seen” have the same vowel sound to me. **PSXer** , I’m so glad I’m not the only one! ---
**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, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/37 "2012-02-13T18:12:25Z")
According to [this documentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE1_6WJ371A) about St. Louis, “swing” and “thing” rhyme, but they do not rhyme with the way I pronounce “swing” (or “sing”) and “thing.” I think the OP is pronouncing “sing” wrong! 🙂 It should be “thaaaang” and “saaaaang” 🙂 ---
**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, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/38 "2012-02-13T18:15:24Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I’m just curious, OP, when you hear radio or television news announcers, or even T.V. or movie characters, pronouncing the word “thing” or “get”, how do they sound to you? Are you aware that your pronunciation is an unusual one? Honestly, I don’t tend to notice stuff like that. Hence, my question. ---
**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, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/39 "2012-02-13T18:21:25Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > thing and sing don’t rhyme. sing rhymes with ring And ring rhymes with thing… I mean…I know some people have accents/pronounciations that aren’t the same, but you must _know_ that pronouncing “thing” as “thang” is very regional, and that most people don’t pronounce it that way? I mean…surely you’ve heard people in movies/TV pronounce it as “thing.” Or is it one of those things (thangs?) where you sort of hear what you want to hear? Reminds me of my sister complaining about her students. Many of them will say, "You, can I axe (aks?) you something? And she’ll say “No, but you can **ask** me something.” They’ll go, “That’s what I said…axe!” She’ll go around and around with them, saying they need to pronounce it as “ask,” but they don’t get it, because they are so conditioned to “axe,” that to them, “ask” IS “axe.” Either that, or they are being BLINDINGLY obtuse, even for 12 year olds (and many of them are good students, very intelligent, etc…so it’s not like they’re doing it on purpose to be a smart-ass.) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718/40 "2012-02-13T18:22:27Z")
Thing = sing. Generic upper midwest. Mary=marry=merry, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-thing-and-sing-rhyme-to-you/612718.md?page=3)