Can you just say kudos?
Don’t use “kudo” or treat “kudos” as a plural. Not so fast, some usage experts say. “Kudos” and its pipsqueak offspring “kudo,” they contend, are words in transition. “Kudo” is a “false singular,” that is, a singular form created when an already singular word (“kudos”) is mistakenly thought to be plural.
What is a postal cachet?
In philately, a cachet is a printed or stamped design or inscription, other than a cancellation or pre-printed postage, on an envelope, postcard, or postal card to commemorate a postal or philatelic event. There are official and private (independent of postal authorities) cachets.
What does cultural cachet mean?
Certain high-end brands have a particular cachet, or respectability. People just know they are the finest of their kind. The word cachet comes from the French cachet meaning “seal affixed to a letter or document,” and if something has cachet, it’s as if it has a seal of approval from society.
Why is the L not pronounced in salmon?
Up to the end of the 15th century, the word “salmon” was spelled in English without an L, as derived from the Old French word “saumon.” The spelling was later changed to be consistent with the Latin word for the fish, “salmo.” Unfortunately, even though the spelling was changed, the French-influenced pronunciation …
Is the R in turmeric silent?
As it happens, you can correctly pronounce “turmeric” either with or without sounding that first “r”: TUR-mer-ik or TOO-mer-ik. gives both as standard pronunciations.
Why do Americans say turmeric?
Here is the answer. Reason #1: It’s hard to articulate two syllables that end in R consequently, especially since the first one starts with T, and the next one starts with M, so we make it easier to say by dropping one of the R’s. In short, it’s just easier to say ‘tumeric’ than it is to say ‘termeric’.
Why do we pronounce colonel with an R?
The French also took this word from the Italians. But when they added it to their language, they changed the word “colonnelo” to “coronel.” Language experts say this is because the French wanted to have the “r” sound in the word, instead of the two “l” sounds. Colonel was spelled c-o-l-o-n-e-l but pronounced “kernel.”
Why is Lieutenant pronounced with an F?
If you’re not up to speed with your old-colonial vernacular, here’s the deal: Canadian English dictates the word “lieutenant” be pronounced lefttenant, rather than lootenant. Linguists explain that the “f” is a relic of the country’s British imperial history, while the alternate pronunciation comes from the U.S.
Are there two ways to pronounce epitome?
Taken directly from Greek, where it means “abridgement,” “epitome” is now most often used to designate an extremely representative example of the general class: “Snow White is the epitome of a Disney cartoon feature.” Those who don’t misspell this word often mispronounce it, misled by its spelling, as “EP-i-tohm,” but …