You Say "Thuh", I Say "Thee"...

[stoutfellow]

... but why?

This is an interesting article on the two pronunciations of the word "the" (reduced "thuh" versus unreduced "thee"), and the role each plays in communication.

Comments

[filkferengi]

Interesting!

Still, it was folks finicking around and splitting hairs like this that originated teasing, the beehive, and other hair abominations.

If they can get this stirred up about "a" and "the", can you imagine what they'd do with some of Lois' prose? They need to read lots of Bujold, and then they need to get out more, preferably to socialize with other listies [like us]. :)

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Very interesting article! I had to try out my own speech patterns, afterwards, of course (g). I notice that if I am going to have problems coming up with the noun itself, I would emphasize by pronouncing the as "thiy," but actually followed by "uhhhhh." Definitely a clue to the hearer that he might as well sit down; this could take a while (g).

Then I read the article cited on top of the link about Mel Gibson's planned movie in Mayan. It raised some very interesting questions. Not to mention if he really plans it with no religion...well, I know we don't know nearly enough about the Mayan culture, but I'm pretty sure that religion played a pretty big part in daily life, planting, chopping off heads, etc.

thee -- one and only particular

[p-o-u-n-c-e-r.livejournal.com]

Fascinating.

I was taught, perhaps incorrectly, (and learned and have applied the lesson MUCH less rigorously than my instructor would have demanded) that "thee" came before words beginning with vowels while "thuh" was used before words with consonants. Thus, "hark THUH herald angels sing" but "lo, THEE angel said to them" ... I don't know if anybody else was so indoctrinated.

I think one usage where THEE is often stressed is when one is differentiating between some general case and a specific and particular case -- as in the joke about looking for Muldoon, Strong Muldoon, THE Muldoon ...

That said, a ("uh") reinterpretation subtle vocal mistakes as "cues" to the speakers' thought process -- whether thuh, uhm, or just a long pause -- is the ("thee") most interesting thing I've thought about all day.

But then, it's been a odd day.

Re: thee -- one and only particular

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

I wasn't indoctrinated to it, but it seems natural to use it that way, and in fact I always thought it was a rule of sorts. I'm kind of surprised the article didn't mention it.

Re: thee -- one and only particular

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

One of the linked articles - this one (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/002312.html) - does mention that, not as an a priori rule but as an observable pattern. I think the main focus of the article I mentioned first is on preconsonantal "the", though.

Re: thee -- one and only particular

[toraks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, same here.

Difference between the consonant or vowel following as well as if you're emphasizing a particular one of many.

But I wouldn't know if I used it as an "uh" replacement. You don't see those kinds of things in yourself, do you?

Re: thee -- one and only particular

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

The vowel/consonant bit is discussed here (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/002312.html).

You don't see those kinds of things in yourself, do you?
Generally not. Linguists have really come to distrust introspection as a tool; most people really don't know how they talk. (I've seen one account of a student who refused to believe that anyone used a certain construction, until it was pointed out to her that she used it all the time. Even then, the instructor had to catch her in the act before she'd believe it.)

Re: thee -- one and only particular

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

One of the further links does mention the vowel/consonant pattern (which I wouldn't call a rule - it's an observable pattern), here (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/002312.html).