# Excuse me, Mr. President? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 8, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288 "2002-10-08T00:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dravin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dravin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dravin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/21 "2002-10-08T07:06:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Ah, so I take it that, due to the lack of legitmate criticism, y’all agree with the main gist of his speech? \*\* I didn’t hear the speech actually, but why would a lack of criticism in the substance of a speech in a thread devoted to complaining about the presentation of it signify agreement? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/22 "2002-10-08T07:52:59Z")
No one has even mentioned the content of his speech; this is clearly a discussion of style, not content. And for what it’s worth, my 1988 Unabridged Webster’s lists one pronunciation: NUKE-lee-er. ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/23 "2002-10-08T08:09:52Z")
Y’all are fucking pathetic. Grow up and try to develop an approach to language that goes beyond “He talk different than me! Different bad!” -fh ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/24 "2002-10-08T08:18:06Z")
From American Heritage: > [@](#): > > Usage Note: The pronunciation (nky-lr), which is generally considered incorrect, is an example of how a familiar phonological pattern can influence an unfamiliar one. The usual pronunciation of the final two syllables of this word is (-kl-r), but this sequence of sounds is rare in English. Much more common is the similar sequence (-ky-lr), which occurs in words like particular, circular, spectacular, and in many scientific words like molecular, ocular, and vascular. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/25 "2002-10-08T11:55:42Z")
Yes! A post from a dictionary! My day is made! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/26 "2002-10-08T11:59:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hazel-rah \* > \*\*Y’all are fucking pathetic. Grow up and try to develop an approach to language that goes beyond “He talk different than me! Different bad!” > > -fh \*\* Different not bad. Stupid and ignorant bad. You not know this? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/27 "2002-10-08T12:33:11Z")
Elucidator wrote: > [@](#): > > Yes! A post from a dictionary! My day is made! You think that’s something, we got our NEW PHONE BOOK yesterday! Oh, joy! ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/28 "2002-10-08T13:24:02Z")
“New cue ler, It’s Pronounced New Cue Ler” It’s funny when a world leader sounds like Homer Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/29 "2002-10-08T13:28:28Z")
> [@](#): > > vor dahr Actually, _voir dire_ is Norman French, but I get your point anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/30 "2002-10-08T13:35:14Z")
I spent part of my childhood in Texas, and grew up pronouncing the word a la GWB - _until I learned that I was mispronouncing it, and then I changed the way I said the word._ To me, not upgrading one’s pronunciation on discovery of an error is an indication of boneheadedness, apathy, or bloody-mindedness. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/31 "2002-10-08T14:13:51Z")
Al Gore would have properly pronounced “nuclear explosion.” George W. Bush will prevent one from occurring. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/32 "2002-10-08T14:17:07Z")
Will he really? Are you taking bets on that? ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/33 "2002-10-08T14:18:56Z")
On _Fresh Air_ the other day [linguist Geoff Nunberg](http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm?prgID=13&prgDate=10/01/2002) discussed this very thing. This error drives me crazy. As a Microbiologist I understand the mispronunciation in a completely different way. Nu.cue.ler is the way to pronounce a whole bunch of stuff regarding a cell (i.e. nuclear membrane, nuclear proteins, etc.) So in other words: It’s not just annoying, IT’S WRONG! It’s the same thing as if he pronounced live and live, or read and read interchangeably. Just because they look alike does not mean they are the same! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/34 "2002-10-08T14:30:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by interface2x \* > \*\*For cryin’ out loud, you’re driving me nuts over here. \*\* CRY-IN **G**. IN **G**! IN **G**! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/35 "2002-10-08T14:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > A Texas accent is not, repeat, not a “Southern” accent. **That almost as bad as confusing a “cracker” with a "peckerwood"** What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/36 "2002-10-08T15:43:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > \*\*Furthermore, Feckless Leader has no more a Texas accent than any other cowboy from Kennepunkport. \*\* Damn straight he ain’t Texan. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/37 "2002-10-08T16:08:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Al Gore would have properly pronounced “nuclear explosion.” > > George W. Bush will prevent one from occurring. :rolleyes: Sure glad that the Supreme Court stopped the count, then, otherwise we’d all be knee deep in fall-out. A Nuclear Holocaust. Only one man can prevent it. George. W. Bush! ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/38 "2002-10-08T16:50:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*Al Gore would have properly pronounced “nuclear explosion.” > > George W. Bush will prevent one from occurring. \*\* I think you mean to say, George Bush will prevent one from occurring until AFTER he attacks Iraq. I mean you have to save your wad for the money shot don’t you? * * * Still having a bad day ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/39 "2002-10-08T17:23:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\* > CRY-IN **G**. IN **G**! IN **G**! \*\* Dammit! I mean, Damnit! I mean … ah, crap. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288/40 "2002-10-08T17:55:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > \*\*A Nuclear Holocaust. Only one man can prevent it. George. W. Bush! \*\* This is the scariest thing I’ve ever read. \>shudders\< [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excuse-me-mr-president/131288.md?page=3)