What's the correct pronunciation of 'THERE'?

[danot]

All to often during debates on SF, a special constable from the Sheffield forum grammar police force will make a sarcastic comment about the poor grammar in another's post, which usually results tit-for-tatting throughout the duration of the thread. Anyhow, due to their profound knowledge and special training in the area of English grammar, I was wondering if one of them could assist me in determining what the correct pronunciation of 'THERE' is.

 

Now, as a born and bred Sheffielder, I pronounce it so it rhymes with 'gear', whereas some might consider that to sound too common and pronounce it so it rhymes with 'bear'.

 

So if there is any of you that can assist me in determining which is the correct(or preferable)pronunciation of it , I'd be most grateful.

 

PS. Apologies in advance for poor grammar and spelling errors.

[namtaB]

All to often during debates on SF, a special constable from the Sheffield forum grammar police force will make a sarcastic comment about the poor grammar in another's post, which usually results tit-for-tatting throughout the duration of the thread. Anyhow, due to their profound knowledge and special training in the area of English grammar, I was wondering if one of them could assist me in determining what the correct pronunciation of 'THERE' is.

 

Now, as a born and bred Sheffielder, I pronounce it so it rhymes with 'gear', whereas some might consider that to sound too common and pronounce it so it rhymes with 'bear'.

 

So if there is any of you that can assist me in determining which is the correct(or preferable)pronunciation of it , I'd be most grateful.

 

PS. Apologies in advance for poor grammar and spelling errors.

 

Heh ! Incoming grammar police attack :hihi:

 

P.S. It's ovver theer

[Alien52]

"I pronounce it so it rhymes with 'gear'."

Maybe a good time to speak in english then.

Also what has grammar to do with pronunciation ?

[PeteMorris]

My preference would be for it to be pronounced as 'bear'. But then I'm not a Yorkshire bloke, even though I live here.

 

But it's not the pronounciation of it, that matters, it's the context in which it's used (in the written form), as opposed to 'their and 'they're'.

[danot]

I'm regretting not adding a poll. Is there any way to do it now?

[Digsy]

I asked my friend popeye the Shakespearean pirate, he says it's pronounced.

 

Theeaaarrgegegegege.

[danot]

My preference would be for it to be pronounced as 'bear'. But then I'm not a Yorkshire bloke, even though I live here.

 

But it's not the pronounciation of it, that matters, it's the context in which it's used (in the written form), as opposed to 'their and 'they're'.

But they're two completely different words. I was referring to the word "THERE", as in- 'over there'.

[Rupert_Baehr]

"Yonder ."

[danot]

 

P.S. It's ovver theer

Nothing I suppose. But when someone ridicules another because a sentence in their post is typed in the manner in which they'd have said it, I feel it's a fair assumption to say the one's doing the ridiculing most probably speak in a manner in which they'd have written it. So in that sense, I feel the two are associated to some degree.

[barleycorn]

My regional dialect would, as far as I can remember which is difficult as I lost it a long time ago, is to pronounce to rhyme with gear. I now pronounce it to rhyme with bear. I don't really care how people pronounce it in their everyday lives but would expect it to be pronounce to rhyme with bear in a professional environment.

 

jb