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ArishMell · 70-79, M
You will hear many variations due to the very wide range of regional accents in Britain, but the general pronunciation of [i]Worcestershire[/i] and of its county-town (Worcester) shortens but stresses the first, and passes over the second, syllables.
Similarly with its Southerly neighbouring county and county-town, [i]Gloucestershire [/i]and [i]Gloucester[/i] - the "est" syllable left unsaid.
The neighbour to the NE, though, [i]Warkwickshire[/i], tends to be pronounced with a hard "orr" as in "on", rather than "ark+w" in the middle. I assume this is because "Warricksher / ~shire" is easier to enunciate than the purely phonetic way!
Then travelling on, Leicestershire and Leicester follow the same silent-"est", then we reach Nottinghamshire & Nottingham which most English do pronounce pretty well phonetically, fully and with first- or second- syllable stress. The "ham" syllable is always slightly weakened, often with a touch of a hard "u" to the sound.
Generally, the "shire" root is spoken as a short "sher" sound, slightly longer "shire" or a hybrid "shiur", again depending on the speaker's accent.
I have seen a SW thread titled something like "I love the British accent", prompting British readers to ask, "[i]Which[/i] British accent?". Apart from the very distinct English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish generics, there are very many regional accents and dialects. England alone would fit in a rectangle not much more than 450 miles long by 250 or so wide, but has an enormous range of accents that can differ noticeably across only a few tens of miles, or even across a conurbation like Greater London or the West Midlands county encompassing Birmingham and the Black Country. ("Black" describes its 19C industrial condition.)
'
By the way, a point sometimes missed is that not all English counties carry that "shire" suffix, originally an administrative term.
Similarly with its Southerly neighbouring county and county-town, [i]Gloucestershire [/i]and [i]Gloucester[/i] - the "est" syllable left unsaid.
The neighbour to the NE, though, [i]Warkwickshire[/i], tends to be pronounced with a hard "orr" as in "on", rather than "ark+w" in the middle. I assume this is because "Warricksher / ~shire" is easier to enunciate than the purely phonetic way!
Then travelling on, Leicestershire and Leicester follow the same silent-"est", then we reach Nottinghamshire & Nottingham which most English do pronounce pretty well phonetically, fully and with first- or second- syllable stress. The "ham" syllable is always slightly weakened, often with a touch of a hard "u" to the sound.
Generally, the "shire" root is spoken as a short "sher" sound, slightly longer "shire" or a hybrid "shiur", again depending on the speaker's accent.
I have seen a SW thread titled something like "I love the British accent", prompting British readers to ask, "[i]Which[/i] British accent?". Apart from the very distinct English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish generics, there are very many regional accents and dialects. England alone would fit in a rectangle not much more than 450 miles long by 250 or so wide, but has an enormous range of accents that can differ noticeably across only a few tens of miles, or even across a conurbation like Greater London or the West Midlands county encompassing Birmingham and the Black Country. ("Black" describes its 19C industrial condition.)
'
By the way, a point sometimes missed is that not all English counties carry that "shire" suffix, originally an administrative term.
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Bobby1123422 · M
Wooster shire. As in the shire of Wooster.
Ryannnnnn · 31-35, M
wustershur
ThePerfectUsername · 70-79, M
👍️@Ryannnnnn
Johnblackthorn · 56-60, M
Wus ter sheer.
Worst-ish-sure those are the 3 sounds
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@TryingtoLava Worst'ish ? Lol. It is one of English's worst'ish words. 🙂
@Wraithorn hahaha dont make fun of me cousin!
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@TryingtoLava I honestly wasn't making fun of you cuz. I was appreciating the fact that you gave me a grin. Kudos to you for making me laugh.
When I was a kid I was taught to pronounce that entire word as "Vooster". So your version is actually better than mine was.
When I was a kid I was taught to pronounce that entire word as "Vooster". So your version is actually better than mine was.
SwampFlower · 31-35, F
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@SwampFlower Thanks for contributing though. I appreciate it.
Crazychick · 36-40, F
It's pronounced "Wuster-shire".
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@Crazychick Is the last part pronounced shire ? As in a hobbit's shire ?
Crazychick · 36-40, F
@Wraithorn Technically, yes. Most people tend to slur it though.
Harriet03 · 41-45, F
Woostershear!
🇬🇧🤷♀️
🇬🇧🤷♀️
SW-User
Wustersher
SW-User
I say it like the British, because otherise I get made fun of.
Wus-ter-shire
Wus-ter-shire
@SW-User :o thats why theyre all diff cuz of our accidents! Silly me
SW-User
@TryingtoLava 😉
adorbz · 26-30, F
Worcestershire is woostersheer (the oo like in book)
CheshireCatalyst · 36-40, M
https://voca.ro/hKjymYrVDme
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@CheshireCatalyst I said in writing, please. 🙂
CheshireCatalyst · 36-40, M
@Wraithorn the link is writing
purplepen · 51-55, F
Woostersher. Spelled Worcestershire.
SW-User
War cesester shirererer 🥴
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@SW-User Of course...that's the way...:-)
SW-User
Wus ter sheer
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@SW-User Well you did that quite easily. Well done.
SW-User
@Wraithorn 👍 thanks
Ksmile14 · F
worse-tuh-sure
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Dlrannie · 31-35, F
Are you sure you don’t mean Worcestershire ?
Nimbus · M
That's easy, 'wuster sher'
Try this Welsh word:
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Try this Welsh word:
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Gingerbreadspice · F
Supposedly pronounced as Wuster or Wooster shire but it depends which part of the country people are from depends how they pronounce it.
Piper · 61-69, F
Wars-te-sher, probably. I suspect it's come out differently, the few times I've had occasion to say it.
Chevy454 · 46-50, M
Don’t ask anyone from Boston. Worchester is pronounced Wooster!!! Lol sorry Woostah.
JupiterDreams · 31-35
Worsashirersh
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@JupiterDreams Well that is interesting, thanks. I tried saying it like that and it takes a bit of practice.
JupiterDreams · 31-35
@Chevy454 I can never pronounce it lol
Chevy454 · 46-50, M
I hear ya!!!@JupiterDreams
monkeysdevil007 · 46-50, M
Wooster as in Bertie sheer as in stockings
Quimliqer · 70-79, M
Straight from Merrimack-Webster:
[image deleted]
[image deleted]
GJOFJ3 · 61-69, M
woo-stuh-sher
Salix75 · 46-50, F
Wooster- shire
Quimliqer · 70-79, M
Worse-ter-shire
DamnFeelz · 36-40, F
Woor sure shire 😂
DearAmbellina2113 · 41-45, F
Worstersher
NickiHijab · F
Wor-sta-sher
War-sta-sher
RubySoo · 56-60, F
Wus ter shur
SW-User
worst-a-sure
bijouxbroussard · F
Worst-i-sure (waits for @Crazychick to tell me it’s incorrect) 😅
bijouxbroussard · F
@Wraithorn That makes sense, considering other words like Leicester and Gloucester seem to be similarly condensed when they’re pronounced. But in the U.S. we have this [b]steak[/b] sauce...😏
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxBqeBdfda0]
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxBqeBdfda0]
Wraithorn · 51-55, M
@bijouxbroussard It would taste good on steak, yes. Heinz also sells it here. I think our most popular one would be "Maggi Lazenby".
I like that sauce on egg. Tastes good.
I like that sauce on egg. Tastes good.
bijouxbroussard · F
@Wraithorn Do they pronounce it that way in your commercials ?