Tongue-twisters and mouth warm-ups are a waste of time.
That’s my opinion. I never use them.
When I want to talk, my mouth works. Duh. It’s not like I’m trying to avoid a pulled hamstring running the hurdles.
I say that so you know the phrase: “THESE HOURS ARE OURS” is not an exercise…it’s a quirky combination of words artificially constructed to prove a point.
The point is, do you say “our” like “hour” (OWR, as in Ow! or Ouch!)…or do you say it like “R” (are)?
That means saying it out loud would be either:
“these OWRS R R’s”?
–OR–
“these OWRS R OWRS”?
Dave….BUDDY….who cares?!!!
Maybe it’s a regionalism…a weird characteristic of the English language, like there, their, and they’re.
Yeah, I agree.
But I can’t say “our” like “R”. To me, “our” should be pronounced like “hour”…and it’s just one indication that I can’t seem to master “conversational” (and I still have yet to hear a believable definition of that which all clients agree upon). See: CONVERSATIONAL, SCHMONVERSATIONAL.
Even in common sentences involving the word “our”…I feel like it should be pronounced like “hour”.
For instance, how would you say the “our” in this sentence: “Our uncle has all of our skis in his car.”
It takes an extra effort to say the “our” words in that sentence as “hour”, but it’s the only way I can say it and keep my integrity as an English-speaking citizen. If I don’t get the job, then at least I have my integrity, which… I know, I know…doesn’t pay the bills…but at least I sleep at night.
It’s difficult maintaining obstinacy sometimes! Even harder being OCD.
You’ve got your own pet-peeve words…I just know it!
Comment below and get if off your chest!
CourVO