go-to = 'frequently or most commonly chosen' PLUS "strategery" gets serious

[Ben Zimmer]

On Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 9:26 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>
> >At 8:23 PM -0400 8/13/10, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >
> >On Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 7:57 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
> > >
> > >  Query:  How is "strategery" actually pronounced (or how was it on
> > >  this occasion, anyway)?
> >
> >Stra - TEEJ - ery.
>
> I suppose that was GWB's version too.
> Does this count as a misspelling pronunciation?

I trust Larry recalls that this originates not with GWB but with Will
Ferrell-as-GWB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptAoJedxFzU

"Strategery" came up in my recent interview with Leonard Lopate on "made-up"
words (starting at about 6:15 in the audio):

http://beta.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2010/jul/28/ben-zimmer-refudiates-fake-words/

...though Lopate accidentally pronounced it as STRAT-uh-jerry the first time
through.

--bgz


--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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