# The Word "Frustrate" has TWO "R's"!!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491 "2003-11-21T14:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/21 "2003-11-21T20:28:19Z")
and furthermore… > [@](#): > > “Nuptial” is almost always mispronounced (nup-shoo-ul), even by news anchors. Just how should it be pronounced, then? The above-mentioned Merriam-Webster gives for pronunciation: “'n&p-sh&l, -ch&l, ÷-sh&-w&l, ÷-ch&-w&l”. The third option very closely approximates your rendering of the “mispronunciation.” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/22 "2003-11-21T20:30:56Z")
If saying q-pon is wrong, I don’t want to be right!😛 The one that bothers me is “jag-wire”. Jag-WAR, people! Even jag-u-ar, as in that Pink Floyd song that now escapes me, but never, never jag-wire! ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/23 "2003-11-21T20:59:08Z")
My absolute favorite is this one: “The {noun} needs {past participle}” (i.e., “The rug needs vacuumed”). I believe this is a regional thing, but it really steams my beans just the same. Either the rug needs TO BE vacuumed, or the rug needs vacuumING. Please. Don’t make me whack you upside the head with this tea kettle. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/24 "2003-11-21T20:59:43Z")
I just remembered, my husband was telling me just a couple days ago… He was talking to a guy who has been a police officer for 20+ years. The guy was saying how annoyed he got when criminals got a “flea bargain.” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/25 "2003-11-21T21:09:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yBeayf \* > \*\*There most certainly is! Merriam-Webster lists both of those as valid pronunciations (and I agree with them, being a native Texan and all). \*\* Yes, I am aware that both pronunciations are listed. However, given enough time, nook-yoo-ler will be listed as an acceptable pronunciation of “nuclear”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/26 "2003-11-21T21:13:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t try your patience with _me!_ -annoyed utterance directed at me by a higher-ranking soldier in the summer of 1995. I wisely stifled my natural reaction, which was to chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/27 "2003-11-21T21:47:33Z")
I was born in Jacksonville, Florid_er_ It wasn’t Tamp_er_ And yes, I had an English teacher who said both. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/28 "2003-11-21T21:55:24Z")
Did you ever go to Miamah? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/29 "2003-11-21T22:40:27Z")
Not being native in English, I should probably just keep my mouth shut in a thread like this, but earlier today, on another board, I read about someone asking if it was _aloud_ under the law to perform a certain action. I just had to share. ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/30 "2003-11-21T22:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Don’t try your patience with me! \*\* Officious Cabinet Officer: Sir, you try my patience! Groucho: Don’t mind if I do. You must come over and try mine sometime. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/31 "2003-11-21T23:09:53Z")
I hear “weapontry” occasionally. There’s no “t” in “weaponry” ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/32 "2003-11-22T00:28:25Z")
I’m the only one I know who actually says “Feb-ru-ary.” ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/33 "2003-11-22T00:48:12Z")
I use to work (I’m a programmer) on a video game concerning tanks. And our lead designer pronounced the word “turret” as “turrent”. (shudder) ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/34 "2003-11-22T03:01:24Z")
Archergal, you’re not alone anymore. I always pronounce the r that everybody else seems to forget. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/35 "2003-11-22T03:04:29Z")
And sometimes I say flustrated, but it’s intentional. We used it in high school as a cross between frustrated and flustered. I wouldn’t use it where people would think I didn’t know better. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/36 "2003-11-22T04:24:42Z")
You know, I try and I try, but I am just not _able_ to pronounce the first R in February. Native midwesterner with no discernible accent (that I’m aware of), but I just can’t make it happen without stopping and making a laborious R sound. I know it’s there though. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/37 "2003-11-22T04:33:59Z")
Boy, I’m glad the M-W agrees with me and a few other posters in accepting both as a legitamite way to say “February”. I’ll take the no first “R”, version personally. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/38 "2003-11-22T04:35:47Z")
Youse guys should just be glad you don’t live in Rhode Island, where “-er” becomes “-ah” and “-ah” becomes “-er.” The mind boggles. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/39 "2003-11-22T05:16:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Youse guys should just be glad you don’t live in Rhode Island, where “-er” becomes “-ah” and “-ah” becomes “-er.” The mind boggles. In the year 2500, linguists who speak New Englandish might write a book about sound changes from Late Modern English to Early Modern New Englandish. That book might have enteries like the following: er --\>a /_# a–\>er /_# > [@](#): > > But what is UP with this word? I was watching one of the Discovery Channel’s forensic science shows tonite and two of the darn MEs on the show consistantly pronounced this word “fustrate”. Another future book on historical sound change might have an entery like: r --\> 0/ f\_u So I hope you guys are pleased with yourselves, rejecting a sound change that’ll make whatever language spoken in the future slightly less linguistically rich:) Note: please don’t take my “future sound changes” too seriously- I’m really still learning about linguistics. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491/40 "2003-11-22T06:14:32Z")
Hold on, I need to go take some maysurements. Ugh. This is just getting rediculous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-frustrate-has-two-rs/214491.md?page=3)