What the hell is a huvver???
 

Why is it that our american friends call a hover a huvver. In all of the texts I can find, it is spelled the same way as in the UK so what's it all about?

Ah dohn't no.

To: helimutt

Check the Websters Universal College Dictionary. In the United States it is pronounced as if spelled huver. If I read it correctly the Concise Oxford Dictionary pronounces it the same way.

By the way, American is spelled with a capital A

Cheers (Pronounced Cheers)

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The Cat

Hey Helimutt,

I thought it was a UK word (Cockney):

"If it's not one thing, it's the huvver!"

Lu,

Unfortunately you do not read it correctly, O man of many books!

The Concise Oxford Dictionary states that hover is pronounced 'hover'.

That is 'ho' as on HOt, 'v' as in 'V' (not vee, obviously) and 'er' as in hER.

Incidentally, we tend to use 'spelt' as the past tense of spell.

What is this Websters College Dictionary thing. It is not American, I hope. How can you have an American dictionary of the English language? (J for joke).

You say tohmaytoe, I say.........

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/wokka.gif

When you say "American" don't forget you are including those nice people above 49N, not to mention the Central and South American countries.

Should be a good range of pronunciation.

I no sum insructas huw carnt spell but I didunt meen to start a vocabluary wor of wurds.
I prefer Hover!!!!

Lu's education would have cost many dullers, so go easy on him.

'You say tomato, I say tomato etc

Let's call the whole thing off!'

Only time will tell regarding the British and American pronunciation as well as spelling of words. As we speak (post) there is an American man (A lexicographer) working on the editing of the latest Oxford Dictionary. His job is to convince the editors that certain American words should be incorporated. This includes spelling and pronunciations as well as the altering of the spelling and pronunciation of English words that are common to both countries. French has been replaced by English as the language of diplomacy and the ATA dictates that ATA documents be written using American English.

Regarding the land north of the 49th parallel it is called Canada. However if you don’t want to start a fight you would never describe the population north of the 49th as Americans. Even Danny didn’t get it right here on the forum. Look under regional threads and you will find Canada, which is a part of North America, and then he has North America defining the United States.


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The Cat

Wasn't it Winston Churchill who said this about Great Britain & the United States "two great cultures divided by a common language"

by the way I pronounce lover the same way as hover (as in 'uh-h-h, I don't know')

I'm American, living in Virginia not that far away from Washington DC.

[This message has been edited by hover lover (edited 26 March 2001).]

Helimutt,
If you get a job on the North Sea, then you will certainly be exposed to some different pronunciations of almost every word in the English language, courtesy of Regional and National dialects. Conversations with residents from the North-East coast of Scotland should leave you with a distinct feeling you (or they) are not a native English speaker! ;)

Mind you, the same is true throughout England, the entire UK, or really anywhere in the English speaking world. From one basic language, comes a multitude of pronunciations and interpretations flavoured by pronunciations of local languages (Spanish, French, etc).

In the specific instance of hover, I agree that the typical US pronunciation is huvver, but their are similar variations to Turbine (Turbin), as well as many others. It is interesting to note that the US pronunciation of hovel is huvvel, this word occurs immediately prior to hover in the Encarta dictionary ( I always considered this to be the reason for the pronunciation). This dictionary also has the great advantage of audio files, so pronunciation is not a problem. http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=hover

Regarding the American people North of the 49th parallel, don't forget the largest State in the Union - Alaska! :)

Anyone interested in reading an interesting story about the creation of the Oxford English dictionary, should read the "The Professor and the Madman", which is an amazing account of how this collosal project was undertaken. The subject of this book is one of the most prolific contributors to the project, Dr William Minor, a former US Army surgeon, who found himself imprisoned in Broadmoor, after he committed the first murder in the UK with a gun! I am amazed that this book has not been turned into a movie, as it is a remarkable, compelling story. http://www.salon.com/books/sneaks/1998/09/03sneaks.html

I personally speak some strange variation of all of the above languages and dialects, and people still tell me I have some strange accent (both in the UK and the US!) ;)

I don't know what a huvver is, but I do seem to remember that a few years ago, it was reported to be a lot less bovver with one.

Or am I confused

What about D.H.Lawrence's famous book "Lady Chatterleys Hover"

Hover Lover :
I think that was originally a quote from Oscar Wilde.

IHL

Helimutt,

Huvver? No way, bruvver!

p.s. Does it really matter if we can hunderstand heach huvver? (hovver)?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/01...1.LZZZZZZZ.gif

This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. It reads like a James Michener Novel and shows the incredible diversity of the many English languages.

Cheers http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

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You are welcome to visit HELIDRVR here

One of my old students used to say "hoover"! That was very upsetting to me because helicopters definitely don't suck!

"...don't suck..." Not sure the vulture my 212 disected a couple of years ago would agree. He went from beligerently circling above the disc, to flapping wildly trying to stay out of the induced flow, to being spread around the field in small pieces in 3 easy lessons. I guess from below there doesn't appear to be much sucking going on though.

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Another day in paradise

Funny you should mention dullurs we had a consultant who kept talking about dahlars , took us while to work out she was talking about money. Dont get me started on Aluminium (aliminum) , route ( rowt) and bouoys ( how does it get to be booowies ?) and the letter zed .

Helidrvr:
I saw the PBS special several years ago, it is truly fascinating how the language has evolved.The language spoken in Hadrian's time would be incomprehensible today