[Sca-cooks] pronunciations

[Kirrily Robert]

Margali wrote:
> Depends. Is there already an american form of the word/name?
>
> If there is, I default to the american extant form [phlip and i had a short
> word about this the other night.]
>
> frex - anise.
> some people pronounce it a-NIECE, accent on the last syllable.
>
> there is a perfectly good american pronunciation. A-niss, with a soft 'i'
> like in the worn 'miss' and the accent on the first syllable.

In Australia, it's pronounced "a-NIECE".  However, I had an interesting
experience at the supermarket a little while ago.

See, I was buying fresh fennel, which they happened to have there.  I
don't think they have it often, and their staff don't really know what
it is.  It was labelled "anise", but I figured this was probably either
a North American vs Australian usage issue, or they were just ignorant
and wrong.

Anyway, I get to the cash register, and the girl there looks blankly at
this green bulbous frondy thing and says "uh, what's this?"  I said
"fennel" but then realised I should tell her "anise" since that's what
it was labelled as in the produce section.  I say "a-NIECE" and she
continues to look blankly at me.  Then I spell it out to her, and say "I
think it might be pronounced 'ANN-iss' here".  So she holds it up and
calls to the supervisor a couple of registers away, "What's the code for
ANUS?"  Everyone stared at her and she got all embarrassed.  Eventually
she found the damn code and I managed to get through the checkout and go
home and cook it.

Yours,

Katherine

--
Lady Katherine Rowberd (mka Kirrily "Skud" Robert)
katherine at infotrope.net  http://infotrope.net/sca/
Caldrithig, Skraeling Althing, Ealdormere
"The rose is red, the leaves are grene, God save Elizabeth our Queene"