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Why is the word "vineyard" pronounced "vin-yard"?

ArishMell · 70-79, M
One of those quirks which, along with a strong respect for etymology, makes the English language in its many, own British Isles, Standard and dialect forms, so rich!

The word "vine" is from French "vin", so it was a matter over time of adopting the most common English pronunciation of what in its native language rhymes approximately with "van". The hard 'i' even seems to make it slightly easier to pronounce.

Perhaps it's similar to why we generally pronounce the definite-article as "thee" before a soft vowel (e.g. "thee air"). That is smoother and more mellifluous to say and hear than the glottal stop forced by a hard 'e', as in "thuh air". Though I have heard this inelegant latter form quite frequently in the last few years.
DownTheStreet · 51-55, M
It’s not, it’s just everyone pronounces it incorrectly
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
It's middle-English translated from olde-English from an original interpretation from an old French word.

So over the centuries has probably had several versions of spelling.
When you consider only royalty and clergy were ever educated on things like language and mathematics at that time
Thodsis · 51-55, M
It's just one of those linguistic contractions.

A word that may have been pronounced vin-e-yard could easily lose the e.
Because English is weird 🤷
@BijouPleasurette because it's true 😅
BijouPleasurette · 36-40, F
@NerdyPotato Maybe so, but I grew up in an area where we like logical explanations for everything. Weirdness of language is OK for humour, but most of us genuinely do like to know these things.
@BijouPleasurette oh yes, how the weirdness came to be is certainly interesting too.
GrinNude · 61-69, C
Vin-yud as in Mahtha's Vinyud.
BijouPleasurette · 36-40, F
@GrinNude What accent is that?
GrinNude · 61-69, C
@BijouPleasurette Massachusetts. Very similar to Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
BijouPleasurette · 36-40, F
@GrinNude I haven't been to the States so I'm not sure which American accent is which.
Tomato or to ma toh
BijouPleasurette · 36-40, F
@TryingtoLava Where I live we pronounce it "to-mar-to". I know Americans say "to-may-to" and I'm not saying that's wrong.
@BijouPleasurette so like toe-mart-toe? Cuz we say it like quick like the word potato
BijouPleasurette · 36-40, F
@TryingtoLava Yes, I know how Americans say it.
JRVanguard · 26-30, M
My cousin from California: JRVineyard
BLP11520 · 61-69, M
Try French lol
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@BLP11520 Indeed!

Taught French at school, though not necessarily "learning" it, the two biggest hurdles for me were the very large and complicated range of verb forms and irregular verbs; and trying to remember the gender weirdly given to all nouns, even abstract ones.
BLP11520 · 61-69, M
@ArishMell 👍👍

 
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