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Pat Myers's avatar

You may also ask questions of Pat the Perfect (grammar, word choice, wording in The Post, etc.) or of The Empress of The Invitational (anything about the contest, even "how could you have failed to recognize my brilliant joke xxxxx," as long as you don't mind getting a frank answer). Use the "ask me a question" button and Gene will pass it along to me.

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Bill Verkuilen's avatar

I selected "other" for the pronunciation of "February", because I (and nearly everyone I've heard say that word in this part of the country) say "fe-brew-air-ee". The "b" is definitely part of the second syllable, not the first. I suspect this is what you intended with your first option--you meant to emphasize the presence of the first "r"--but it technically is different than the options you listed, so...

There are a few people who say "fe-byu-air-ee"--but they are generally treated with severe disdain. And generally, they also put the "b" in the second syllable.

Also, a note on the last poll question--it needs another option--"often". Which would be my answer, and not just in a tongue-in-cheek way. I often pronounce the "t"--but I also often do not. I'm not quite sure why, or have any rules regarding when--it just sometimes comes out that way. (And sometimes doesn't.)

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