How is pho really pronounced?

[Arnold Zwicky]

On Oct 18, 2012, at 3:20 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM> wrote:

> I've pronounced it every way I can think of, but I don't get the pun. [from LH, below]
>
> I have seen UnPhogettable here.

lots and lots of punning restaurant names in English (which i've posted about on my blog several times), which assume a rounded vowel.

> On Oct 18, 2012, at 3:10 PM, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU> wrote:
>
>> Another option is suggested by the name of a Vietnamese joint near the linguistics department at Yale, Pot au Pho.  But I expect that's the only evidence for a mid-front rounded vowel, and the pun would work just as well (or poorly) if it's really either /f@/ or /fo/.

pun in French: pot-au-feu (French beef stew)

note that Vietnamese pho is usually treated as a borrowing of French feu.  and in fact, the most common type of pho is pho bo, beef pho (with bo a borrowing of boeuf)!

postings:
  Go pho it:
http://arnoldzwicky.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/go-pho-it/
  Check your iPho:
http://arnoldzwicky.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/check-your-ipho/
  Pho x 4:
http://arnoldzwicky.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/pho-x-4/
(pho puns in restaurant names)
  Three from Vietnam:
http://arnoldzwicky.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/three-from-vietnam/
(spring rolls, pho, banh mi)

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