Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Dahlias, Dahling Login/Join
 
Member
posted
Last night I caught part of the old movie "Travels with My Aunt." In it, a British fellow talks about growing his dahlias, which he pronounces: DAILyuz. In Ohio, we say: DALyuz, first syllable rhyming with the name "Al." Until last night, I would have guessed that the British would pronounce it DAHLyuz, first syllable rhyming with "doll." Anyone?
 
Posts: 345Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Kalleh
posted Hide Post
We say DALyuz in Illinois, and I, too, would have thought that both the American east coasters and the British would say DAHLyuz.
 
Posts: 24735 | Location: Chicago, USAReply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Richard English
posted Hide Post
It's DAILyuz where I live.


Richard English
 
Posts: 8038 | Location: Partridge Green, West Sussex, UKReply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I was curious if the origin of the word would give a clue, so I checked et-online.
    1804, named 1791 for Anders Dahl, Sw. botanist who discovered it in Mexico. No blue variety had ever been cultivated, hence "blue dahlia," fig. for "something impossible or unattainable" (1880).
This raises two questions:
  • Has anyone ever heard "blue dahlia"?
  • Which way would the name "Dahl" be pronounced in Swedish: like the British pronunciation of the flower, or like the US one?
  •  
    Posts: 1184Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of BobHale
    posted Hide Post
    I remember seeing an episode of Tales of the Unexpected called The Blue Dahlia.


    "No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
     
    Posts: 9421 | Location: EnglandReply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of Hic et ubique
    posted Hide Post
    quote:
    Originally posted by Richard English:
    It's DAILyuz where I live.
    Thank you. You've now explained what has always perplexed me about an old limerick.
      There was a young man from Australia
      Who painted his arse like a dahlia.
      The colour was fine;
      Likewise the design.
      The aroma? Ah, that was a failure.
     
    Posts: 1204Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Member
    Picture of zmježd
    posted Hide Post
    Which way would the name "Dahl" be pronounced in Swedish: like the British pronunciation of the flower, or like the US one?

    It's always difficult with names because they can be pronounced in a variety of non-standard ways and who's to say which is correct. It's somebody's name after all. More like with the AH of the US, rather than the AY of the British.


    Ceci n'est pas un seing.
     
    Posts: 5148 | Location: R'lyehReply With QuoteReport This Post
      Powered by Social Strata  
     


    Copyright © 2002-12