# I have an Idear! Learn how to say IDEA! (Hint: drop the "r") **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475 "2003-12-17T05:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/41 "2003-12-18T16:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by congodwarf \* > \*\*I thought it was bad living in Wusta (Worcester, MA) but now I deal with a factory in Canada. They call me many times every day to talk aboot my orders. \*\* They can smell you all the way from Canada? Get it? Odors + migrating ‘r’ = orders. Oh, never mind … ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/42 "2003-12-18T16:23:37Z")
And The Clash fought the lawr. (And the lawr won.) ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/43 "2003-12-18T16:25:35Z")
As a Canadian I taught English in England which was very weird. The “r” thing causes people to misspell words, I have had more than one argument turn quite nasty when people refuse to believe that “integrate” is not spelled “inte **r** grate.” (They reckon because I’m Canadian I don’t speak English “properly” … at least I say “R” when and only when one is written !) And I was charged with the task for making a label for a movie that they called “The Wiccuh Man.” I asked repeatedly if it was “WiccA” or “WickER” and they couldn’t seem to hear a difference … I labelled it wrong, in the end. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/44 "2003-12-18T16:39:15Z")
You haven’t heard anything until you’ve heard a strong Buffalo accent with a “flat a.” My name, Dan, gets stretched out into two syllables, pronounced as Dee-HAYN. Go to dose der eastern suburbs der, like dat der Town of Cheektowaga der, and look out der for dose der filler words theys add der, like dat der “dose” der, dat der “dat” der, and dat der “der” der. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/45 "2003-12-18T17:28:39Z")
Now, I’m much older and wiser and more tolerant (!), but believe it or not I actually dropped a college course because the teacher (not a full professor) kept talking about her “ideers.” ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/46 "2003-12-18T18:34:58Z")
I’d just like to thank **NurseCarmen** for bring up the “wanna come with” phrase. I don’t know why, but hearing that turn of phrase grates on my nerves. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/47 "2003-12-18T20:30:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > \*\*Spanish? > > (Colonal is a derivation of the Spanish _Coronal_, from the ceremonial crown - corona - high ranking officers would wear). \*\* You’d better get onto [Mirriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com/), then, 'cause they disagree: > [@](#): > > Etymology: alteration of coronel, from Middle French, modification of Old Italian colonnello column of soldiers, colonel, diminutive of colonna column, from Latin columna As does [Dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com/): > [@](#): > > Alteration of obsolete coronel, from French, from Old Italian colonello, from diminutive of colonna, column of soldiers, from Latin columna ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/48 "2003-12-18T22:56:51Z")
Does anyone else cringe when they hear “acrost” for “across”? ---
**Author:** ![bigdfrombigd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bigdfrombigd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigdfrombigd)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/49 "2003-12-22T23:18:04Z")
I always grit my teeth when people say “sangwich”. My Mom always says “degree” instead of degrees when talking about the temperature outside. Drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/50 "2003-12-22T23:41:48Z")
As a former New Englander, this pretty much just goes unnoticed for me. But hey, if we survived Clinton and Bush with their various southern accents, I think an idea_r_ or two should be no problem. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/51 "2003-12-22T23:50:14Z")
BTW, anyone get this sense in hearing about the Earthquake today in Paso _RO-buls_? Damn east coast broadcasters. Paso RO-blays, if you please. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/52 "2003-12-23T07:15:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\*BTW, anyone get this sense in hearing about the Earthquake today in Paso _RO-buls_? Damn east coast broadcasters. Paso RO-blays, if you please. \*\* Tell me about it! It’s obviously a Spanish name. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/53 "2003-12-23T07:27:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmosdes \* > \*\*Does anyone else cringe when they hear “acrost” for “across”? \*\* I was thinking about starting a thread over this pronunciation. I (horrors!) almost used this word evening last. I don’t mind the “idear” thing, but then again I’m biased, having largely hailed from eastern NY and known many people who used that pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/54 "2003-12-23T12:19:54Z")
I know I’m not the only one who thinks GWB should give it up and bring the word “atomic” back into fashion. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475/55 "2003-12-23T19:13:20Z")
I work for a smallish company started by an Australian. Many of the long-term employees are Aussies or Kiwis. I consider myself fortunate that I can work in an environment such as this, and everyone here gets along … … … but for the love of god, the letter h is pronounced “aitch”, not “haitch”! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-idear-learn-how-to-say-idea-hint-drop-the-r/219475.md?page=2)