Pronouncing theatre...

[Werehalfwaythere]

Ok ok, I realise this has probably been debated many times before but -

AIBU to massively cringe when I hear people say "thee-et-er" instead of "theer-ta"?

Live in the south east and it just seems ridiculous that people who otherwise speak in a normal south eastern accent say it like that. To me, it sounds like a hyacinth bucket moment! My boss was telling me about her upcoming trip and I couldn't focus at all beyond the cringe!

Same here, I'm Irish. Very much so pronounce the R.

It's usually pronounced like that by the same people who pronounce "homosexual" as "hommer-SEK-syeul". Pretentious!

Tiss-yew
Tishoo

Yeah, I just say "theer-tuh", when people pronounce it when 3 syllables it sounds really posh to me.

My mum and granny are Scottish and I love the way they say theatre!

I’m from the north east and say thee-ah-turr, I can’t say it theer-ta without putting on a horrible sort of transatlantic accent like a 30s film star

I think the same when people say Choc-o-lut/choc-o-let I stead of just choclut 😂 (I have an added glottal stop so it's more like choc-luh'

so much makes you cringe and feel funny, i really think you need to get out more and not just to the three syllabled theatre

Definitely 3 syllables here, grew up in London, my mum pronounces the same. I think it's just a normal variation!

They're a scream, aren't they?

TBF, with a non-rhotic accent and a glottal stop, theatre sounds more like "thee'-uh"

I'd imagine that's how Cockneys used to pronounce it too, when they spoke proper Cockney.

What if they aren't 'pretending'?

Yes. My husband does this. He did a lot of am-dram when he was younger so I assume he started doing it then.

It sounds very pretentious to me but he doesn't mean it to.

It's not spelt that way though

@Werehalfwaythere

AIBU to massively cringe when I hear people say "thee-et-er" instead of "theer-ta"?

I say it like that, what's wrong with it?

That's how I say it!

I pronounce theatre as Thea-Ta

I have an odd west country accent

I honestly can't be arsed to make the distinction between any of these basically similar pronunciations.

People who say the-8-er should be burnt at the stake, but I've never met any of them in real life, I think they're made up for comic effect.

I just said it out loud about ten times and I agree with you. I pronounce it with three syllables but with the middle syllable kind of slurred into the other two, not with the emphasis put on the middle syllable.

I know exactly what pronunciation you mean and it doesn't annoy me but it's a little bit pretentious.

Is that her from a "filum"?

Thee-a-uh.

3 sylllables. No t's and no r's

My accent's like Stacy Dooley's.

Interestingly I think saying it with just two syllables, extended vowels and non-rhotic R: 'I went to the theee-tuh dah-ling' (like Craig Revel Horwood) sounds much more wanky and pretentious than saying it properly (like a Scot) with three syllables and pronouncing the r: thee-a-terr.

@Werehalfwaythere

AIBU to massively cringe when I hear people say "thee-et-er" instead of "theer-ta"?

I say it like that. What's wrong with it?

It is when I say it!

I say it your way OP, as does everyone I work with, and we all work in a theer-tuh (but probably not the kind you're thinking of!).