Chalk

[brionon]

On a recent showing of the Weakest Link,Anne Robinson said that the 'L' in 'Chalk' is not pronounced.
I always articulate the 'L', Am I wrong do you think ?

[saxy_jag]

I have never pronounced the 'l' and I don't know anyone who does (except you, it appears). I've always pronounced it 'chork'.

[warpig1]

saxy jag - chork but then you are putting an 'r' in? I pronounce it chauk. Maybe its a regional thing.

[serendipity1]

i pronounce it the same as i do the word talk , not tork!

[warpig1]

Thats what I meant - talk, what serendipity said.

[heathfield]

Long, long ago, scribes inserted the letter 'L' after the 'A' as a guide to the pronounciation. Thus we know that the 'a' is an 'aw' sound, rather than as the 'a' in 'father'.
People laugh at the pronounciation of 'Kirkaldy' as 'Kirkawdy', or 'Falkirk' as 'Fawkirk', and think it's ridiculous to use a word and not pronounce the 'L'. They aren't aware that they themselves do just that, every day, in using the words 'walk', and 'talk', (and 'chalk'!).

[warpig1]

brionon are you not from Holland or Belguim or somewhere? If so its not your fault you pronounced it.

[warpig1]

that way.

[saxy_jag]

Chork, chauk - whatever, with 'al' sounding as it does in 'pork', unless you're dead posh and end up saying something like 'chark' or 'chock'.

I used to look after a learning disabled lady with manners and mouth as black as a coal pit, but she always used to pronounce 'toothpaste' as 'tuthpest' in a very proper way. :-)

[Jinglepot]

I pronounce it the same as warpig & serendipity. What I am curious about though, is why on the tele some people pronounce, ' saw ' with an r, as in, 'I sawr that'. Even worse, when 'drawing' is pronounced ' Drawering!!'
( Hate that one)

[Buenchico]

I suppose that the nearest thing you'll get to an 'official' answer, is the one provided by the Oxford English Dictionary. This states that the correct way to pronounce 'chalk' is so that it sounds like 'chawk'.

Chris

[Buenchico]

PS: Serendipity1 might be interested to note that the OED also says 'talk' should sound like 'tawk'

Chris

[Jinglepot]

Buenchico, how does the OED say how 'drawing' is pronounced please. I only have a Chambers dictionary?
Many thanks.

[Buenchico]

For Jinglepot:

The OED says that 'drawing' is pronounced as it is written. i.e. it is formed of two distinct syllables, with the stress being applied to the first syllable. This rhymes with 'paw'. The second syllable rhymes with 'sing'.

Chris

[Jinglepot]

Thanks Buenchico ( Chris)
Then, when it's pronounced with an 'r' , it is a regional thing??

(Sorry brionon, I didn't intend to to hijack your question which I found interesting.)

[Buenchico]

With apologies to Brionon:

Since posting my answer, I've been trying to say 'drawing' without introducing an 'r'. (I've got a Suffolk accent). I've decided that, for me, it's impossible to do so in any sort of conversational manner.

Although I indicated that many people would regard the OED's pronunciations as 'official', that's not the same thing as saying that they're 'right' ;-)

Chris

[Jinglepot]

Thanks for your answer Buenchico. Now I feel embarrassed because I said I 'hated' the 'r'' being includes in the word 'drawing!' I'm sure my Norn Iron accent pronounces words that can annoy others too !!

Roll on differences :O)

[brionon]

And 'WALK', I say the 'L' in this word too?

[bednobs]

hmm arent chauk, chork, chalk, and chawk all pronounced the sam eway anyway?

[brionon]

The point is that A. Robinson said that the 'L' is not to be articulated,like for example,the 'GH' in light. What we usually say is not the point. Many people say the word Butter without a 'T' that doesn't make it right.