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Original poster

If your accent is RP English, how do you pronounce “Glasgow”?

388 replies

Wigeon · 31/07/2022 20:19

Settle an argument between DH and me:

YANBU: Glasgow in an RP English accent is pronounced “Glarsgow” with a long “arr” or “arh” in the middle. Like the “a” in “car” (in an RP accent).

YABU: Glasgow in an RP English accent is pronounced “Gl-ah-sgow”, with a short “ah”, like the “a” in “cat” (in an RP accent).

OP posts:
queenmeadhbh · 02/08/2022 19:57

Wigeon · 02/08/2022 19:00

Well this thread has been very enlightening, especially about how people can’t believe how I can say an R in Glasgow.

I think the reason is that I say “ah” and “ar” and “the word rabbit begins with an R” all exactly the same. So in “Glasgow”, the sound I make in the middle sounds like ah, ar or the letter R. But it doesn’t sound like Rrr like the noise of a dog growling.

We all clearly need basic training on phonetic notation before any of us are allowed to post on mumsnet! Including me! Those of you who get it - you’re free to keep posting!

it’s not that we don’t believe it, it’s that it’s not true! You do not pronounce an R when you say Glasgow, grass, or the name of the letter R.
what you do do, is pronounce a long A vowel sound that we could maybe write as “ahh” or “aww”. So when you insert an incorrect R into how you think you should transcribe the way you pronounce Glasgow, what you really mean is “I pronounce a vowel sound that is modified in the same way that it is when it is followed by an R”.

we understand that the reason is that it sounds the same to you. But claiming that you are “pronouncing an R” is the exact opposite of true because in your accent you never pronounce the letter R when it is after a vowel (unless it is followed by another vowel i.e cart you do not pronounce the R, career you do). It’s irrelevant as far as R Is concerned that you pronounce grass or path or Glasgow with a long vowel just because you also pronounce a vowel followed by R with a long vowel!!

sorry - this just always pushes my buttons because any thread about pronunciation are always full of the non-rhotic banging on about pronouncing Rs when the key feature of their accent is that they do NOT pronounce Rs!! Grin

derxa · 02/08/2022 19:46

Wigeon · 02/08/2022 19:00

Well this thread has been very enlightening, especially about how people can’t believe how I can say an R in Glasgow.

I think the reason is that I say “ah” and “ar” and “the word rabbit begins with an R” all exactly the same. So in “Glasgow”, the sound I make in the middle sounds like ah, ar or the letter R. But it doesn’t sound like Rrr like the noise of a dog growling.

We all clearly need basic training on phonetic notation before any of us are allowed to post on mumsnet! Including me! Those of you who get it - you’re free to keep posting!

I could weep. Your 'ar' is a vowel sound and the /r/ at the beginning of rabbit is a consonant sound.

Glasgow is not spelt Glarsgow therefore it is pronounced with a short /a/ sound not a long one
Original poster
Wigeon · 02/08/2022 19:00

Well this thread has been very enlightening, especially about how people can’t believe how I can say an R in Glasgow.

I think the reason is that I say “ah” and “ar” and “the word rabbit begins with an R” all exactly the same. So in “Glasgow”, the sound I make in the middle sounds like ah, ar or the letter R. But it doesn’t sound like Rrr like the noise of a dog growling.

We all clearly need basic training on phonetic notation before any of us are allowed to post on mumsnet! Including me! Those of you who get it - you’re free to keep posting!

OP posts:
sueelleker · 02/08/2022 15:22

SE England. I say glaz-go

FilePhoto · 02/08/2022 14:30

mathanxiety · 02/08/2022 05:10

Wrt that baffling R....

People with non rhotic accents insert an R in their attempts to render their pronunciation of certain words with an 'ah' sound in them.

People with rhotic accents (the majority of the anglophone world) see the R and pronounce it as an R, not an ah sound.

It would be really helpful if people could learn to use international phonetic notation instead.

Or if the non rhotic speakers could use AH and drop the R.

I have a non rhotic accent and read Ah and Ar differently.

That might just be me though Confused

JaneJeffer · 02/08/2022 13:18

the Queen does NOT say Glasgow with an R. She says it at 00.17 with no R. Is there some later point at which she does say it with an R, or are people just desperate to hear R?
I couldn't hear an R either Grin

Jenpeg · 02/08/2022 12:46

landoflostcontent · 31/07/2022 20:24

Anyone else say Glaz-go

Yes the people of glaz-go!!

Timeforanothername · 02/08/2022 07:49

The first option. Though I have an rp accent and consciously started pronouncing Glasgow the second way as I realised the first sounded faintly ridiculous...

BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants · 02/08/2022 05:48

Landoflostcontent I am Irish and also pronounce it as you do. Glaz go

mathanxiety · 02/08/2022 05:10

Wrt that baffling R....

People with non rhotic accents insert an R in their attempts to render their pronunciation of certain words with an 'ah' sound in them.

People with rhotic accents (the majority of the anglophone world) see the R and pronounce it as an R, not an ah sound.

It would be really helpful if people could learn to use international phonetic notation instead.

Or if the non rhotic speakers could use AH and drop the R.

RenegadeMatron · 02/08/2022 04:49

People with non-rhotic accents pronounce AR and AH the same.

RenegadeMatron · 02/08/2022 04:47

Teddeh · 02/08/2022 01:07

I posted this upthread (31/07/2022 21:22) as evidence that the Queen does NOT say Glasgow with an R. She says it at 00.17 with no R. Is there some later point at which she does say it with an R, or are people just desperate to hear R?

(Not minding the link/clip being reposted, just object to people saying there is an R when there is no R.)

Show quote history

Rhotic v non-rhotic accent……

Belephant · 02/08/2022 04:38

@Teddeh it's not that people are saying they hear an R - they're saying they hear a long A sound, which they're writing as "ar" because they have a non rhotic accent

Teddeh · 02/08/2022 01:07

Wigeon · 31/07/2022 22:40

Kudos for finding a clip of HM saying it! Does she therefore vote IANBU do you reckon?! 😁

Show quote history

I posted this upthread (31/07/2022 21:22) as evidence that the Queen does NOT say Glasgow with an R. She says it at 00.17 with no R. Is there some later point at which she does say it with an R, or are people just desperate to hear R?

(Not minding the link/clip being reposted, just object to people saying there is an R when there is no R.)

Belephant · 01/08/2022 22:12

@AchatAVendre interesting about the danes... I have a close Norwegian friend and I try to speak as much Norwegian as I can. I often ask her "why don't you pronounce this letter in this word?" And she just thinks about it for a minute and says "no idea. We just don't" 🤣 (I guess that's similar to English in lots of ways!)

AliTheMinx · 01/08/2022 22:09

Definitely Barr-th and Glarrs-go!

Wbeezer · 01/08/2022 22:06

The whole time I've been reading this thread I've had this as an earworm:

OnaBegonia · 01/08/2022 22:05

BaRth for Bath
GlaRsgow for Glasgow
both an utter nonsense and to be honest incredibly pretentious.
No R sound in either.
I'm from Glasgow and it is Glahsgo,Glazgo, Glesga (to the locals)

DobbyTheHouseElk · 01/08/2022 21:06

Bath = Barth

Glastonbury = Glaston. berry

my Dad says Glarston-bree he’s way more RP than I am and used to live in Glastonbury.

However, if you are a local and referring to the festival. That’s Pilton, no one in Somerset says they are going to Glastonbury festival.

AchatAVendre · 01/08/2022 20:34

Live4weekend · 01/08/2022 17:26

When I try and put on an English accent is say glas- gow as in Cow!

Not Glarsgow though.

Probably cause my tongue struggles with the r.

(When I Missenden Carl by calling him Carol 🤣)

Show quote history

In my mind's eye, you've got to imagine someone with a pair of pince-nez perched atop their beak, looking down their nose at you or speaking to two children as per the Catherine Tate sketches, and say a very breathy, exaggerated "Glaaarsgo". It works then!

AllNightDiner · 01/08/2022 18:09

What a strange thread. I'm very RP but would say 'Glaz-go' without thinking twice. That's just what it's called. I'm afraid I'd laugh at anyone I heard saying 'Glaaahhsgo'. It would be like hearing an American say 'Edin-borrow'. Tbh this is reminding me of the thread the other day that consisted of mocking people whose names have regional pronuciations as 'not knowing how to say their own name'.

Icouldbehappy · 01/08/2022 17:39

Glesgae 😂

OneTC · 01/08/2022 17:36

Typed conversations about how words are pronounced without recourse to a standardised pronunciation chart are amazingly pointless.

IMO

Live4weekend · 01/08/2022 17:27

*misgender

Live4weekend · 01/08/2022 17:26

DownNative · 01/08/2022 17:05

Yet people in Scotland pronounce Russian Moscow as "Moss-co" and a lot of them find it irritating Americans pronounce Glasgow as "glass-cow" too.

Here's a pic.

Show quote history

When I try and put on an English accent is say glas- gow as in Cow!

Not Glarsgow though.

Probably cause my tongue struggles with the r.

(When I Missenden Carl by calling him Carol 🤣)