Thursday, February 6, 2014

That's a THING, Thursday

Perhaps you've heard this phrase uttered from the cool kids, lately:

So (or apparently), this is a THING now...
Or perhaps:

So, that's not a THING anymore...
I'm still deciding if I love or hate this phrase. Well, to be honest, I hate the phrase because of it's inability to express anything and the fact that our youth have so willingly embraced the ambiguity of this phrase. But also to be honest, I have used this phrase in the classroom. Because, to be honest, I want my students to listen to me - and using their vernacular is key to this. And also because, to be honest, I want them to think that I'm a cool, "older" person.

Anyway, I am going to institute "That's a Thing Thursday," here on the blog.

This week's TATT: pronunciation.
 
Tomato, tomato: [toe-MAE-toe, toe-MAH-toe...] 
Acapulco, Acapulco.
 
Dear Iowans,
Apparently, we have been pronouncing a city in Mexico wrong my entire life.
 


See that little "gem" of a city - the one that is on the west coast, found toward the lower third of the coastline?
 
Not sure which coastal gem, I refer to? I spent Spring Break 2001 here:
You know, Acapulco.
 
Oh, did you think it was pronounced - Ah-cah- POH-coh?
 
Well, it's not.
 
It's Ah-cah-POOL-coh.
 
Pretty much just how it's spelled. Emphasis on the "ool."
 
Pronouncing words just how they're spelled. Apparently, that's a thing now.