eggcorn: "profound" (profane) words

[Leslie Decker]

People who speak non-rhotic dialects pronounce it something like [a:s
hoUl], with a long a as in 'father'.  When saying 'asshole' it would be
something like [æs hoUl], like it's generally pronounced in America.
There are, however, many Brits who speak rhotic dialects, such as in
Scotland, and the West Country (not to mention Ireland), and they do say
[ars hoUl].  I've never observed any voicing of the s, but that's of
course just anecdotal.  The exception I can think of would be West
Country, because they tend to voice esses anyway, but then again, the
dialect is rhotic!

Leslie

Beverly Flanigan wrote:
>
> Would Brits ever pronounce the /r/ in "arsehole"?  Isn't that just a
> spelling convention (or indeed the original spelling for the anatomical
> term)?  And if they drop the /r/, would they voice the /s/?  I've only
> heard Americans use it, affecting a British accent but pronouncing the /r/.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org