"Prahcess" vs. "Prohcess" (Process, Project, and similar words) (live in, garage)

[psulions2007]

Okay, I've been studying the Canadian accent for a while, but this word is confounding me.

What regions of Canada say "Prah" vs. those that say "Proh"? I was going to assume "Prah" would be more popular closer to the US border and/or SW Ontario, but it almost seems random. Listening to Calgary radio stations, I hear both.

Which one is more popular? I would assume "Proh" since I hear it more often on CBC Radio One.

[sunshineleith]

Ooooooooo. I say both. I also say garage two ways (with both the soft and hard g), as well as "data" - day-ta and dah-ta, ant and awnt for aunt. It depends which side of my brain is working on any given day So in answer to your question... I think you got it with this statement: it almost seems random.

[psulions2007]

Originally Posted by sunshineleith

Ooooooooo. I say both. I also say garage two ways (with both the soft and hard g), as well as "data" - day-ta and dah-ta, ant and awnt for aunt. It depends which side of my brain is working on any given day So in answer to your question... I think you got it with this statement: it almost seems random.

I forgot about garage and data. I haven't paid attention to garage much, but I do say data day-ta and have heard that on CBC before.

[Acajack]

When speaking English I always say proh-cess. It seems that most English-speaking Canadians (mostly from Ottawa and Eastern Ontario) I hear say it this way as well.

[CairoCanadian]

"Ah" sound for process, project ( as in plan ), prospect, promenade, providence, prawn.

"Oh" sound for propensity, project ( as in throw ), propane, promotion, prone, propose ( though if said fast the first syllable turns to "uh" ).

As you can see I split project depending on my meaning. I'm not sure if this is regional or just me, but my mother does as well.

[Canuckamuck]

Originally Posted by CairoCanadian

"Ah" sound for process, project ( as in plan ), prospect, promenade, providence, prawn.

"Oh" sound for propensity, project ( as in throw ), propane, promotion, prone, propose ( though if said fast the first syllable turns to "uh" ).

As you can see I split project depending on my meaning. I'm not sure if this is regional or just me, but my mother does as well.

I'm similar. Except for I say process with a "oh", unless it's processed - then I say praw-cessed.

I also say Pasta as "Pah-sta", Aunt as "Awnt", Garage as "Garadge", Kilometre as Kill-om-itter (Not quite the kill-oh or the Kill-ah the Brits and Americans use) and Mirror as "Meer". I don't even know where it comes from. I'm from New Brunswick - if that helps any. lol

[BIMBAM]

I use proh, day-ta, garage with a soft g, Mary and Merry don't rhyme, about doesn't sound like aboat but is still noticeably different from American pronounciation in a way I can't put my finger on. Pronounciation is pro-nunce-e-ation, aunt is awnt, and pasta is pah-sta. Everyone I've ever known from Montreal pronounced it proh as well, but there was variation with regional English accents from other parts of the province. Indeed, I've heard prah among some speakers in border towns in the Eastern Townships, and some Anglophone Gaspesians I know say it to. Seems common amongst more traditional speakers, people who'd pronounce Chateauguay sha-da-gee.

[Zoisite]

Originally Posted by CairoCanadian

"Ah" sound for process, project ( as in plan ), prospect, promenade, providence, prawn.

"Oh" sound for propensity, project ( as in throw ), propane, promotion, prone, propose ( though if said fast the first syllable turns to "uh" ).

As you can see I split project depending on my meaning. I'm not sure if this is regional or just me, but my mother does as well.

These are the same ways I pronounce them too..... except I use a long O (oh) in process.

.

[darrensmooth]

Originally Posted by CairoCanadian

"Ah" sound for process, project ( as in plan ), prospect, promenade, providence, prawn.

"Oh" sound for propensity, project ( as in throw ), propane, promotion, prone, propose ( though if said fast the first syllable turns to "uh" ).

As you can see I split project depending on my meaning. I'm not sure if this is regional or just me, but my mother does as well.

the first line makes sense as these are 'short o' words for the most part (prawn definitly not), thus because of the caught-cot merger that Canadians/most Americans possess, words that have short o's are pronounced as 'ah', prahstitute for example (there are exceptions of course).

For me Propose is prahpose not pro-pose...even professional is prahfessional at least for me...but i'll lable someone a pro and not a prah (that would be bizarre!)

and I live in Toronto

[BIMBAM]

Originally Posted by darrensmooth

the first line makes sense as these are 'short o' words for the most part (prawn definitly not), thus because of the caught-cot merger that Canadians/most Americans possess, words that have short o's are pronounced as 'ah', prahstitute for example (there are exceptions of course).

For me Propose is prahpose not pro-pose...even professional is prahfessional at least for me...but i'll lable someone a pro and not a prah (that would be bizarre!)

and I live in Toronto

Very interesting, I guess that's a regional difference between our respective accents, I'd be pro-pose and pro-fessional. This is an interesting thread.