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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How do you pronounce Tortoise?

201 replies

Veryverycalmnow · 13/07/2022 06:56

I noticed yesterday, when talking about this animal in a group, that everyone was pronouncing it 'toytoyce' while I would say, 'tortuss'.
I wonder if anyone finds this remotely interesting😆 or has a different way of saying it?

OP posts:
TrailOfAbandonedPlanners · 13/07/2022 08:01

The Alice in wonderland joke doesn’t work in my Scottish accent even if I said tortuss. It’s rhotic. Taught (tot) and tort (with an r) don’t sound in any way the same.

And the s in us (uz) is not the same as it would be in tortuss.

It’s even worse when it’s tortoys and tot us though.

LivingOnAPear · 13/07/2022 08:02

Tortuss. I’d never heard tortoyse until watching peppa pig. I live in the south east.

Clarinet1 · 13/07/2022 08:03

Dinoteeth · 13/07/2022 07:52

Same!

Anyone remember George from Blue Peter?

George? I remember Freda!

MintyGreenDreams · 13/07/2022 08:09

Tor tuss

mizzo · 13/07/2022 08:10

😁 @HeathenPlayingHouse
The wine did not seem out of place, I thought it was a 'cheers' type thing
Goyjus 🥂

Notjustanymum · 13/07/2022 10:41

Both pronunciations are correct:
tortoise
/ˈtɔːtəs,ˈtɔːtɔɪz/

Calyx72 · 13/07/2022 10:50

Tor-toyz

ThisBloodyWeatherIsKillingMe · 13/07/2022 10:53

Tor-TUSS is correct English. It rhymes with Porpoise

Trynamakeadollar · 13/07/2022 10:56

Taught- tus

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 13/07/2022 10:56

Tortuss.

Tortoyse sounds really childish to me (sorry) as in they've read the word but not heard it spoken.

liveforsummer · 13/07/2022 10:57

I sat it either of the normal ways, same with zeb- ra zeeb- ra. It's probably regional but I've lived all over so a bit muddled. I've never heard Toytoise but maybe that's regional too like bokkle instead of bottle and brought instead of bought

Hoppinggreen · 13/07/2022 10:59

I say Tor-Toyce
I have heard people say Tortuss though
My Mum says Tortus and Tuth (tooth) and Rum (room) but she (thinks she is) posh

clarrylove · 13/07/2022 11:01

1 tortoyze, 2 tortusses?

dudsville · 13/07/2022 11:01

I avoid this word! I say "tortuss" and I feel it's wrong, so I usually pretend poor memory, as in "is it a turte or a.....what's the other thing?".

Glitterspy · 13/07/2022 11:02

Tor-tuss. Tor-toy-ss is also fine.

People who say toy-toise probably say bockle and lickle and “hello you” and other sorts of infinitely cringe cutesy things, it’s not a regional thing, hearing adults talk like babies makes me shudder. Those Haribo ads have a lot to answer for.

ofwarren · 13/07/2022 11:03

Tor toyse

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 13/07/2022 11:08

dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/tortoise

Cambridge Dictionary says tortuss.

The 'oi' part is an unstressed vowel so becomes a schwa vowel sound (uh), as in the majority of English words.

It's why we say buhloon, and not ball-oon, and why banana has 3 different sounds for the a's (first is schwa).

AryaStarkWolf · 13/07/2022 11:09

Someaddedsugar · 13/07/2022 06:58

Tor-toyce here!

This one ^

TrailOfAbandonedPlanners · 13/07/2022 11:17

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 13/07/2022 11:08

dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/tortoise

Cambridge Dictionary says tortuss.

The 'oi' part is an unstressed vowel so becomes a schwa vowel sound (uh), as in the majority of English words.

It's why we say buhloon, and not ball-oon, and why banana has 3 different sounds for the a's (first is schwa).

You do realise that accents affect this stuff ENORMOUSLY, don’t you?

English speakers are an enormously varied bunch, accent wise

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 13/07/2022 11:23

Tor-toyce

KyaClark · 13/07/2022 11:26

I cannot remember how I say tortoise. What the fuck has this thread done to me?

brokengoalposts · 13/07/2022 11:27

I say tortoyce, I know people who say tortuss, I also know people who say tortoyzz... those people are wrong!

Giggorata · 13/07/2022 11:39

Taught us.

Hobbesmanc · 13/07/2022 12:08

Hmmm Tor toyce

But tor tuss shell.

Curlygirl06 · 13/07/2022 12:14

I've asked my tortoise and she prefers tor- tuss!

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