’My reading of the use of “erm” here is as a replacement for “my repetition of the word taboo seems awkward in this context (since the point is we don’t share a mutual understanding of the word) but I don’t know a better word of phrasing this”.
Do the British commonly use “erm”? I didn’t know that.
I think you may have missed the point. “Erm” is just a British spelling of what Americans would spell “um.” The pronunciations are quote close. (Similarly, British writers use “er” where Americans would write “uh.”)
From Middle English, from Old Norse um, umb (“around, about”), from Proto-Germanic umbi (“around”), from Proto-Indo-European ambʰi- (“by, around”). Cognate with Old English ymbe (“around”). More at umbe.
Also, I’ve ignored the recordings—I actually can’t listen to them on this computer—but why would there be a mispronounced pronunciation guide? I mean, wouldn’t people who aren’t US speakers correct it, if they knew better? I’m not a US speaker, and I would.
ETA: apparently “hum” may come from the old English version of this—from which we also get um and hmm. Or something.
’My reading of the use of “erm” here is as a replacement for “my repetition of the word taboo seems awkward in this context (since the point is we don’t share a mutual understanding of the word) but I don’t know a better word of phrasing this”.
Do the British commonly use “erm”? I didn’t know that.
I think you may have missed the point. “Erm” is just a British spelling of what Americans would spell “um.” The pronunciations are quote close. (Similarly, British writers use “er” where Americans would write “uh.”)
Really? I’ve always considered those distinct sounds, but then I read a lot from both sides of the Atlantic as a kid.
Here’s some evidence.
Er: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/er#Etymology_1
Uh: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/uh#Pronunciation
Erm: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/erm
Um: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/um#Etymology_1
I think the recordings at those pages are misleading, because they’re all from a US speaker. The phonetic markings are what to look at.
Um … evidence?
pronounced: /ɜː/
etymology: copying the sound people make when hesitating.
pronounced: /ʌː/
No listed etymology, but attached to a list of such sounds from various languages.
pronunciation: no phonetic markings listed; recording only.
no etymology listed, but attached to an entirely different list of such sounds in other languages.
pronounciation: /ʊm/
etymology:
Also, I’ve ignored the recordings—I actually can’t listen to them on this computer—but why would there be a mispronounced pronunciation guide? I mean, wouldn’t people who aren’t US speakers correct it, if they knew better? I’m not a US speaker, and I would.
ETA: apparently “hum” may come from the old English version of this—from which we also get um and hmm. Or something.
Exactly. As an American, I obviously prefer “er” instead.