d_squared431 0 #1 January 13, 2011 I have asked a few people now because one person, not mentioning any names insist it is pronounce "theeeeee" and not "the" . It was googled and google said something like if "the" is followed by a word that starts with a Vowel it is "theeeeee" and if 'the" is followed by a word starting with a consonant it is "the" . Now with that said I still say it is "THE" no matter what follows it. You grammar folks please chime in to educate us dumb asses on the proper usage... ( well not me cause i am using it correctly )TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 643 #2 January 13, 2011 is the like thuh or theeee? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #4 January 13, 2011 Quote is the like thuh or theeee? The plain old normal "the" and thhhhhhhhheeee TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #5 January 13, 2011 Theee is the way I hear retarded rich people say it.Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver30960 0 #6 January 13, 2011 Hmmm... now that you mention it and I've sat here a few minutes talking to myself in a rather odd fashion, I guess I do tend to use the long "e" version in front of words starting with a vowel and short "e" before words starting with consonants. Interesting. As far as writing it is concerned, the way America's youth is going we'll be spelling it "teh" in no time. Elvisio "precipitous slide into chaos" Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #7 January 13, 2011 Quoteif "the" is followed by a word that starts with a Vowel it is "theeeeee" and if 'the" is followed by a word starting with a consonant it is "the" . To my native accent and dialect - Northeastern United States / Caucasian / middle-class / college-educated parents - that is correct. AFAIK, that's also the way "standard broadcaster's" North American English is pronounced. QuoteNow with that said I still say it is "THE" no matter what follows it. It may very well be that that's the prevailing dialect among those with whom you grew up. Or even grew up with. May be influenced by your geographic region, your socio-economic status while growing up, your ethnicity, or the dialect spoken by your parents. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #8 January 13, 2011 I think it is likely dialectal at times, based on stress patterns within sentences and also influenced by the tongue position of surrounding vowels and consonants. I doubt that the strict consonant/vowel rule holds true. For example, I do not think you would say "Did you see theee eagle". That puts two high front vowels in a row and would require the speaker to add a break in between the words. If you say: "th-uh eagle" you would not need the break between words. Unless perhaps someone replied, "yeah, so what?" and didn't notice that you were talking about the giant eagle that was destroying a nearby building. In that case you would change the stress pattern of your sentence and reply, "Listen up - did you see THEEE eagle?" "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #9 January 13, 2011 I will be watching this thread with much interest. I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #10 January 13, 2011 QuoteI do not think you would say "Did you see theee eagle". I would. I just tried it both ways. "Thee eagle" feels/sounds more natural to me. You say toMAYto and I say toMAHto.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridestrong 1 #11 January 13, 2011 Usually 'thuh' but I throw in a 'theee' here and there... and plus sometimes my Dragon Speak recognizes 'theee' better than 'thuh'. *I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.* ----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #12 January 13, 2011 Quote I will be watching this thread with much interest. Well I will never call you "theee_Don" cause it sounds like "ding _dong" TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,679 #13 January 13, 2011 QuoteIt was googled and google said something like if "the" is followed by a word that starts with a Vowel it is "theeeeee" and if 'the" is followed by a word starting with a consonant it is "the" . That is Standard English.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ifall 0 #14 January 13, 2011 You just did this to get people to talk to themselves out loud trying to figure out which way they naturally say it without thinking about it didn't you? God I'm glad I live alone! Although my dogs have been looking at me pretty strangely. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #15 January 13, 2011 Quote You just did this to get people to talk to themselves out loud trying to figure out which way they naturally say it without thinking about it didn't you? God I'm glad I live alone! Although my dogs have been looking at me pretty strangely. LMAO....No No I didnt do it to make you talk to yourself out loud so your dogs think you are strange...TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #16 January 13, 2011 Quote Quote I will be watching this thread with much interest. Well I will never call you "theee_Don" cause it sounds like "ding _dong" I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #17 January 13, 2011 Quote Quote Quote I will be watching this thread with much interest. Well I will never call you "theee_Don" cause it sounds like "ding _dong" I thought you would like that....Plus, You will always be "THE_Don" The word "THE" pronounced "THE" seems more manly than it being pronounced "theeee".TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridestrong 1 #18 January 13, 2011 Quote Quote Quote Quote I will be watching this thread with much interest. Well I will never call you "theee_Don" cause it sounds like "ding _dong" I thought you would like that....Plus, You will always be "THE_Don" The word "THE" pronounced "THE" seems more manly than it being pronounced "theeee". BUT.... if he was the one and only Don, he would be... Theee Don! *I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.* ----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #19 January 13, 2011 QuoteI would. I just tried it both ways. "Thee eagle" feels/sounds more natural to me. You say toMAYto and I say toMAHto.... I'm just about positive that within the context of conversational speech, when you're speaking naturally and not focused on the word "the", that you would neutralize that vowel. In this case, neutralization of the vowel means that theee becomes th-uh. It would be rare for a speaker of Standard American English to stress a non-content word unless stressing that word added meaning to the sentence, such as in my example above. Now if you're reading Dr. Seuss or teaching a beginner reader, every word might be stressed in a sentence and "the" would be pronounced "theee". I have a MA in this stuff. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #20 January 13, 2011 Quote Quote I would. I just tried it both ways. "Thee eagle" feels/sounds more natural to me. You say toMAYto and I say toMAHto.... I'm just about positive that within the context of conversational speech, when you're speaking naturally and not focused on the word "the", that you would neutralize that vowel. In this case, neutralization of the vowel means that theee becomes th-uh. It would be rare for a speaker of Standard American English to stress a non-content word unless stressing that word added meaning to the sentence, such as in my example above. Now if you're reading Dr. Seuss or teaching a beginner reader, every word might be stressed in a sentence and "the" would be pronounced "theee". I have a MA in this stuff. I knew I explained it correctly to my friend! I told him if the word "THE" is used in a kids story or fairy tale it is pronounced "Thee" but in a normal conversation it is "THE". He then asked why and i could not think of a rule or reason to make my point, I just knew i was right...TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #21 January 13, 2011 Quote I have a MA in this stuff. Oh, yeah? Well, I used to date a linguistics major. ETA: And that's AN em-bee-ay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thrillstalker 0 #22 January 13, 2011 QuoteTheee is the way I hear retarded rich people say it. +1 it is correct either (ether) way"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #23 January 13, 2011 No it's not an MBA. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #24 January 13, 2011 QuoteTheee is the way I hear retarded rich people say it. That's a retarded comment. I grew up neither retarded nor rich. Basic middle class. I didn't get an allowance; I cut grass, shoveled snow and worked after school and summers for spending money. My parents grew up working class. My dad joined the USMC at age 17 and then went to college on the GI Bill. My mom went to community college because it was free. Both my parents say thee before a vowel. And thus so do I. If it makes you feel any better, only retards say "thus". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #25 January 13, 2011 QuoteNo it's not an MBA. Oopsie. An em-ay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
