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Original poster

"Pastoral" pronunciation

26 replies

rattlinbog · 15/02/2023 22:30

After moving from state to private I've noticed this word is pronounced differently.

In my last school it was "pa-STOR-al" whereas in this school it's "PAST-rul" which is what I think I said before teaching (although not a word I used much before!).

How do you say it? Does it differ in your school?

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Original poster
rattlinbog · 15/02/2023 22:34

Both schools London btw

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Original poster
rattlinbog · 16/02/2023 12:09

Haha only me as a languages teacher interested in this 😂

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Postapocalypticcowgirl · 16/02/2023 14:23

I think we say closer to your first pronunciation- state school in the SW.

Monkeytennis97 · 16/02/2023 15:24

It wound me up lol at a school where everyone said 'PASToral' (with a short A sound). I always thought I'd was past as in fast (long A sound). Also in similar area OP.

Original poster
rattlinbog · 16/02/2023 15:56

@Monkeytennis97 it is to rhyme with fast (in Southern accent).

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Bleese · 16/02/2023 20:45

To me I'd naturally say it like your current school, but secondaries do seem to go for the pastorORal pronunciation round here (north, short a). It sounds silly to me.

And great username OP.

cardibach · 16/02/2023 21:19

Definitely house be PAST -orul
PasTORal drives me nuts.

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 11:03

This isn't about the length of the a , if I'm reading the OP right. It's the syllable emphasis.

I agree everyone seems to say past AWWWrul now. I hate it.

Bleese · 17/02/2023 16:57

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 11:03

This isn't about the length of the a , if I'm reading the OP right. It's the syllable emphasis.

I agree everyone seems to say past AWWWrul now. I hate it.

I don't think anyone was focusing on the length of the a, that was an aside. The issue is clearly where the stress is placed.

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 17:06

Umm,OK..there was discussion of the a sound upthread though!

Bleese · 17/02/2023 19:32

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 17:06

Umm,OK..there was discussion of the a sound upthread though!

Yes I agree, just didn't think people were actually missing the point, more just discussing around the issue as I did when I mentioned it. Anyway.

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 20:00

Yup, got you. But I say past uh rle with a short a sound so was offended that the short a was being blamed for the awful awwwwwrul bit!

I think Gillian Keegan should step in. She doesn't seem to have anything else on...

Bleese · 17/02/2023 21:14

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 20:00

Yup, got you. But I say past uh rle with a short a sound so was offended that the short a was being blamed for the awful awwwwwrul bit!

I think Gillian Keegan should step in. She doesn't seem to have anything else on...

It hasn't even occurred to me it would have a long a at all until a pp mentioned it. That makes past-OR-al even worse! (My OR is non-rhotic, for any Scots or pendants reading. If only we all just used the IPA...)

JanglyBeads · 17/02/2023 21:52

I shudder when I hear pastORal (occasionally at my school.
I now need to Google to research this.

Piggywaspushed · 17/02/2023 22:16

I might start a trend. How about pastorAL ?

likeafishneedsabike · 18/02/2023 19:35

So happy to read this thread and realise it’s not just me going mad. I’ve wondered about this pronunciation shift many a time!

JanglyBeads · 18/02/2023 21:44

Oo look at this - Hull's guide to academic writing says the pronunciation "is changing" in some circles....

hull-awe.org.uk/index.php/Pastoral

JanglyBeads · 18/02/2023 21:44

(Published 2015)

Original poster
rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 21:57

So interesting. I just admit I don't like past-OR-al at all

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Original poster
rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 21:58

*must

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likeafishneedsabike · 18/02/2023 22:05

rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 21:57

So interesting. I just admit I don't like past-OR-al at all

That’s because we could be the ‘older teachers’ referenced in the link . . .

Original poster
rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 22:07

@likeafishneedsabike I'm early 30s but perhaps I am!

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frowningfrog · 18/02/2023 22:50

God, I hate pastORal. Also, I don't get why this only seems to have changed in the context of education. I mean, nobody is going to start talking about Beethoven's pastORal symphony, or Virgil's pastORal poetry - or are they??

Original poster
rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 22:52

www.rd.com/list/words-that-can-be-pronounced-two-ways/

This is American but interesting. Mentions "pastoral" under "electoral".

How would you all pronounce "pectoral"?

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Original poster
rattlinbog · 18/02/2023 22:56

frowningfrog · 18/02/2023 22:50

God, I hate pastORal. Also, I don't get why this only seems to have changed in the context of education. I mean, nobody is going to start talking about Beethoven's pastORal symphony, or Virgil's pastORal poetry - or are they??

Omg the past-OR-al symphony would be awful

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