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MugaSofer comments on What truths are actually taboo? - Less Wrong Discussion
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Really? I've always considered those distinct sounds, but then I read a lot from both sides of the Atlantic as a kid.
Here's some evidence.
Er: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/er#Etymology_1
Uh: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/uh#Pronunciation
Erm: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/erm
Um: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/um#Etymology_1
I think the recordings at those pages are misleading, because they're all from a US speaker. The phonetic markings are what to look at.
Um ... evidence?
pronounced: /ɜː/
etymology: copying the sound people make when hesitating.
pronounced: /ʌː/
No listed etymology, but attached to a list of such sounds from various languages.
pronunciation: no phonetic markings listed; recording only.
no etymology listed, but attached to an entirely different list of such sounds in other languages.
pronounciation: /ʊm/
etymology:
Also, I've ignored the recordings - I actually can't listen to them on this computer - but why would there be a mispronounced pronunciation guide? I mean, wouldn't people who aren't US speakers correct it, if they knew better? I'm not a US speaker, and I would.
ETA: apparently "hum" may come from the old English version of this - from which we also get um and hmm. Or something.