Pronunciation of the word 'valet'

[likewow]

I was wondering why people in the forties pronounced this word 'val-it' instead of 'val-ay' like we do now. I've heard this pronunciation on several series. I kind of like the old pronunciation better

[Yhtapmys]

I was wondering why people in the forties pronounced this word 'val-it' instead of 'val-ay' like we do now.

Certainly not in Canada they didn't.

Yhtapmys

[Moose Hatrack]

It may be the British pronunciation. British fans of PG Wodehouse often identify the superhuman butler Jeeves as Bertie Wooster's val-it.

[JohnM]

Jack also said "drama" to rhyme with Alabama. And I think I heard him say "concerto" with an "s" sound for the second "c".

Finally, the way they all said "violin" is weird too, with the accent on the first syllable.

[shimp scrampi]

Another thing that tweaks my modern ears is the all-over-the-place 1930s-1940s pronunciation of "Los Angeles" before it had settled down to the common current Americanized form. Los Angle-Less, Loss Angle-leez, Loss Anjeleez, etc. No wonder people gave up and just called it "L.A."!

[Jhammes]

Not to mention, Manische-wi-wi-witz.

[krledu]

Not to mention, Manische-wi-wi-witz.

That is the one that Bob Crosby fluffed. What is it anyway?

[Roman]

Man-o-Manischewitz, what a wine!

[Mister Kitzel]

Not to mention, Manische-wi-wi-witz.

That is the one that Bob Crosby fluffed. What is it anyway?

It is a kosher wine. In one of the Jack Benny biographies there is a mention that the product's sales went up after being mentioned on the radio program. (Who would have guessed?!)

[scottp]

Not sure if I've heard this in Benny shows, but in some other programs I've heard them describing a car as a "coo-PAY' rather than a "coop". And I've heard a lot of Kraft shows lately, with Ken Carpenter talking about "protie-en" rather than "pro-teen." And in early sci-fi shows, some of the tasks are performed by "robuts" not "ro-bots".

[Jack Benny]

Don often talks about a diner menu, and pronounces it with a long a sound for the e - maine -u.

[Jhammes]

Somewhat related: how words and expressions change, and tweak the modern ears...

In "Sunday Nights At Seven", Jack gives his view on Nielsen viewers and ratings, and comments how "Television is free and available at the twist of a knob..."

When was the last time anyone had to "twist a knob"?
(Or, for that matter, when anyone had "free" television?)

[Mister Kitzel]

"Twisting knobs" is a common enough phrase used by people working with audio mixing consoles.

I do not have cable, so anything I watch has to be "free" television.

While reminiscing, remember how you would have a white dot in the middle of the TV screen for several minutes after you turned off the TV set? Can you remember the smell of the tubes inside and the heat they gave off?

[Yhtapmys]

"Twisting knobs" is a common enough phrase used by people working with audio mixing consoles.

I doubt it. Boards have had sliders for years.

Yhtapmys

[Mister Kitzel]

"Twisting knobs" is a common enough phrase used by people working with audio mixing consoles.

I doubt it. Boards have had sliders for years.

Yhtapmys

Actually it is a combination. The equalizer section of a tradtional mixing console is an array of knobs. Effects are controlled with knobs. The only function controlled with sliding faders are the volume outputs for each channel.

Newer digital mixing consoles have an array of buttons instead of knobs, but touring companies are now avoiding digital consoles after some disasters with them.