Zompist Bboard Again

Travis B. wrote: ↑Sun Sep 13, 2026 2:35 pmHas anyone else heard of /ɛə(r)/ or like being used for there

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2026 9:52 pmpronounce hundred (...) I will hear /ˈhʌndərd/ [ˈhʌ̃ːndʁ̩ˤːt].

I think your English is gravitating towards Dutch

Yesterday I learned that "longevity" is supposed to be lon-gevity, not long-gevity, though the latter pronciation is apparently common enough to be warned against on various prescrivptive websites. Anyone using the second pronunciation?


JAL

jal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 23, 2026 3:41 am Yesterday I learned that "longevity" is supposed to be lon-gevity, not long-gevity,

What a coincidence - I had only ever seen it in writing and mentally pronounced it long-éevity, until I heard it spoken for the first time this week in an episode of Season 2 of "The Gentlemen" on Netflix. The actual pronunciation was quite a surprise to me.

jal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 23, 2026 3:41 am Yesterday I learned that "longevity" is supposed to be lon-gevity, not long-gevity, though the latter pronciation is apparently common enough to be warned against on various prescrivptive websites. Anyone using the second pronunciation?

I am used to /ˌlɑnˈdʒɛvəti/ [ˌʟ̞ãːnˈtʃɜːvɘɾi(ː)] being prescriptively 'correct', but /ˌlɔŋˈdʒɛvəti/ [ˌʟ̞ɒ̃ːŋˈtʃɜːvɘɾi(ː)] is common too. I personally could see myself using either in practice.

jal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 23, 2026 3:41 am

Travis B. wrote: ↑Sun Sep 13, 2026 2:35 pmHas anyone else heard of /ɛə(r)/ or like being used for there

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2026 9:52 pmpronounce hundred (...) I will hear /ˈhʌndərd/ [ˈhʌ̃ːndʁ̩ˤːt].

I think your English is gravitating towards Dutch

Yesterday I learned that "longevity" is supposed to be lon-gevity, not long-gevity, though the latter pronciation is apparently common enough to be warned against on various prescrivptive websites. Anyone using the second pronunciation?


JAL

I definitely use the second, and while it's not a common word, I can't remember anyone I know who used the first.

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2026 9:52 pm How do you pronounce hundred?

/ˈhʌndrəd/ for me

What is the usually re-phrasing of the verb "to vomit" that contains the word "sick"? "To be sick"? "To fall sick?" "To get sick"?

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 7:04 am What is the usually re-phrasing of the verb "to vomit" that contains the word "sick"? "To be sick"? "To fall sick?" "To get sick"?

The colloquial way to say "to vomit" is "to throw up". "To be sick" means to be ill, and "to get sick" means to become ill, as does "to fall sick" (but you generally won't hear that one because this usage of "fall" is not consistent with "sick" in register).

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:28 am

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 7:04 am What is the usually re-phrasing of the verb "to vomit" that contains the word "sick"? "To be sick"? "To fall sick?" "To get sick"?

The colloquial way to say "to vomit" is "to throw up". "To be sick" means to be ill, and "to get sick" means to become ill, as does "to fall sick" (but you generally won't hear that one because this usage of "fall" is not consistent with "sick" in register).

I was thinking of a less colloquial register. But "throw up" might work. Thank you.

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:49 am

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:28 am

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 7:04 am What is the usually re-phrasing of the verb "to vomit" that contains the word "sick"? "To be sick"? "To fall sick?" "To get sick"?

The colloquial way to say "to vomit" is "to throw up". "To be sick" means to be ill, and "to get sick" means to become ill, as does "to fall sick" (but you generally won't hear that one because this usage of "fall" is not consistent with "sick" in register).

I was thinking of a less colloquial register. But "throw up" might work. Thank you.

Maybe your were looking for "X makes me sick." In my understanding, that rather means "X makes me feel nauseous / X makes me want to vomit".

hwhatting wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:58 am
Maybe your were looking for "X makes me sick." In my understanding, that rather means "X makes me feel nauseous / X makes me want to vomit".

No, I was explicitly thinking of vomiting. The idea is that the viewpoint character makes a psychologically unpleasant experience, and afterwards, well, using "throw up", it would be something like this:

I spent the next 40 seconds thinking I might throw up. Then I spent the 20 seconds after that thinking that the worst had passed, that I was starting to feel less bad, and that I'd be fine after all. Then I spent the next 15 seconds actually throwing up.

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:28 am

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 7:04 am What is the usually re-phrasing of the verb "to vomit" that contains the word "sick"? "To be sick"? "To fall sick?" "To get sick"?

The colloquial way to say "to vomit" is "to throw up". "To be sick" means to be ill, and "to get sick" means to become ill, as does "to fall sick" (but you generally won't hear that one because this usage of "fall" is not consistent with "sick" in register).

Doesn't "sick" generally mean "about to throw up" in the UK still? or was that just a thing in past English?

"To feel sick" oftentimes means one feels nauseous, but it does not refer to the actual act of vomiting itself, I should note.

jcb wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 9:45 am Doesn't "sick" generally mean "about to throw up" in the UK still? or was that just a thing in past English?

At least in my own usage, it doesn't mean “about to throw up,” that's rather “to feel sick,” which can also refer to other types of ilness but is prototypically feeling nauseous, and more specifically nauseous than “to be sick”. That said “to be sick” does refer to the act of vomiting, in a sufficiently clear context¹. I'd rewrite Raphael's passage as follows:

spent the next 40 seconds thinking I might be sick. Then I spent the 20 seconds after that thinking that the worst had passed, that I was starting to feel less bad, and that I'd be fine after all. Then I spent the next 15 seconds actually being sick.

¹ “I've just been sick,” “I'm being sick in here,” etc. Specifically it's normal to use “ha[s/ve] been sick,” or “(is) being sick,” but I don't think it's required if the context is clear enough.

Lērisama wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:10 am I'd rewrite Raphael's passage as follows:

spent the next 40 seconds thinking I might be sick. Then I spent the 20 seconds after that thinking that the worst had passed, that I was starting to feel less bad, and that I'd be fine after all. Then I spent the next 15 seconds actually being sick.

Thank you. How UK/Commonwealth specific is this? Would it work in US English?

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:20 am

Lērisama wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:10 am I'd rewrite Raphael's passage as follows:

spent the next 40 seconds thinking I might be sick. Then I spent the 20 seconds after that thinking that the worst had passed, that I was starting to feel less bad, and that I'd be fine after all. Then I spent the next 15 seconds actually being sick.

Thank you. How UK/Commonwealth specific is this? Would it work in US English?

No clue, but given that our US members didn't even consider it suggests it isn't that widespread.

To me being sick itself does not indicate the act of vomiting. For instance, one can speak of someone who has the flu as being sick without any vomiting involved whatsoever.

Travis B. wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:40 am To me being sick itself does not indicate the act of vomiting. For instance, one can speak of someone who has the flu as being sick without any vomiting involved whatsoever.

Whereas for me they'd be sick, but not necessarily be being sick.

This is a politics-related question, but I'm mainly interested in discussing the language use and psychological aspects.

In English, and I know that the answer might be different for different forms of English, how much has the word "apprentice" become culturally and psychologically associated with that reality TV show that gave Donald Trump one of his various big breaks on the way to the presidency? If I write about a fictional character who actually is an apprentice, that is, in vocational training after school, would using that word to describe them make people think of that show? Should I use a different word? If so, which one?

Raphael wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:20 am

Lērisama wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 10:10 am Then I spent the next 15 seconds actually being sick.

Would it work in US English?

Nope.

If I write about a fictional character who actually is an apprentice, that is, in vocational training after school, would using that word to describe them make people think of that show?

That wouldn't occur to me. On the other hand it sounds old-fashioned, or implies things like plumbing work. Alternatives include trainee or intern.

Thank you!

zompist wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 3:23 pm or implies things like plumbing work. Alternatives include trainee or intern.

I am thinking of blue-collar work. Trainee might work, but do internships usually involve training that counts as a professional qualification?