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Common mispronunciation of the word ''[[atomic nucleus|nuclear]].'' |
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{{About|the variant pronunciation|other uses|Nuclear (disambiguation){{!}}Nuclear}} |
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'''''Nucular''''' is an [[eye dialect|ad hoc spelling]] of a [[Metathesis (linguistics)|metathetic]] alternate pronunciation of the word ''[[atomic nucleus|nuclear]],'' representing the pronunciation {{IPA-en|ˈnjuːkjələr|}} (Canada) or {{IPA-en|ˈnuːkjələr|}} (United States) of that word instead of the standard pronunciation, {{IPA|/ˈn(j)uːkliːər/}}. |
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While most dictionaries do not list the pronunciation as correct, some recognize it because of its increased usage.<ref>{{cite web |
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| author = Arnold Zwicky |
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| url = http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/001133.html |
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| title= The thin line between error and mere variation |
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| date = June 29 2004 |
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| accessdate = 2006-10-23 |
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}}</ref> |
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==Lexical notes== |
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In addition to the above-discussed role of the "word" as a mispronunciation, there is also a pre-existing though rarely used word in botany, "nucular" which is defined as "of or related to a ''nucule''", which is a section of a compound (usually hard) fruit.<ref>{{cite book|title=Oxford English Dictionary, ''nucule'' adj. (1)}}</ref> |
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''[[Merriam-Webster|Merriam-Webster Dictionary]]:''<ref>[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/nuclear nuclear - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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: "Though disapproved of by many, pronunciations ending in \-kyə-lər\ have been found in widespread use among educated speakers, including scientists, lawyers, professors, congressmen, United States cabinet members, and at least two United States presidents and one vice president. While most common in the United States, these pronunciations have also been heard from British and Canadian speakers." |
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''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'': |
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: "The colloquial pronunciation...has been criticized in usage guides since at least the mid-20th century, although it is now commonly given as a variant in modern dictionaries." |
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''[[Oxford American Dictionary]]'': |
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: "A variant pronunciation...has been used by many, but is widely regarded as unacceptable." |
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''[[American Heritage Dictionary]]'': |
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: "The pronunciation (noo'kyə-lər), which is generally considered incorrect, is an example of how a familiar phonological pattern can influence an unfamiliar one … [since] much more common is the similar sequence (-kyə-lər), which occurs in words like ''particular'', ''circular'', ''spectacular'', and in many scientific words like ''molecular'', ''ocular'', and ''vascular''." |
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Merriam-Webster receive enough questions about their inclusion of this pronunciation in the dictionary that it is one of two pronunciations which receive particular mention in their FAQ (along with "February").<ref>{{cite web |
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| url = http://www.m-w.com/help/faq/pronounce.htm |
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| title = Your pronunciations of "February" and "nuclear" are wrong! How can you say they are correct? |
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| publisher = Merriam-Webster online |
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| accessdate = 2006-10-23 |
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}}</ref> |
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==Notable Users== |
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U.S. presidents who have used this pronunciation include [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Bill Clinton]],<ref name="Slate">{{cite web |
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| url = http://www.slate.com/id/2071155/ |
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| title = Why Does Bush Go "Nucular"? |
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| author = Kate Taylor |
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| publisher = Slate |
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| accessdate = 2008-10-28}}</ref> and [[George W. Bush]]. Others who have used this pronunciation include Vice Presidents [[Walter Mondale]] and [[Dick Cheney]], former Alaska Governor [[Sarah Palin]], ''[[Star Trek]]'' actor [[DeForest Kelley]],<ref name="rioux2005">{{cite book | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5JUOIKG2XcwC&lpg=PA218&dq=trekkie%201975&pg=PA218#v=onepage&q=trekkie%201975&f=false | title=From sawdust to stardust: the biography of DeForest Kelley, Star trek's Dr. McCoy | author=Rioux, Terry Lee | year=2005 | publisher=Simon and Schuster | page=218 | isbn=0-7434-5762-5 | pages=167}}</ref> actor [[Kiefer Sutherland]] in his role as [[Jack Bauer]] in the TV series [[24 TV Series|24]], [[Homer Simpson]] and Professor [[Marcus du Sautoy]] in a 2011 [[BBC]] documentary called "Faster Than The Speed Of Light".<ref name="Faster">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3CVZd5b1g&feature=g-vrec&context=G21d121aRVAAAAAAAACQ ]{{dead link|date=August 2012}}</ref> |
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==Motivation== |
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[[Steven Pinker]] has proposed a [[phonotactic]] explanation for the conversion of ''nuclear'' to ''nucular'': the unusual and disfavored sequence {{IPA|[kli.ər]}} is gradually transformed to a more acceptable configuration via [[Metathesis (linguistics)|metathesis]]. However, [[Arnold Zwicky]] notes that {{IPA|[kli.ər]}} presents no difficulty for English speakers in words such as ''pricklier''. He also regards the proposition of metathesis as [[Parsimony#Science|unnecessary]]. Zwicky suggests a [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphological]] origin, combining the slang ''[[nuke]]'' with the common sequence ''-cular'' (''molecular'', ''particular'', etc.).<ref>{{cite web |last=Zwicky |first=Arnold |url=http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001999.html |title=Axe a stupid question |date=March 21, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-14}}</ref> Supporting Zwicky's hypothesis, [[Geoffrey Nunberg]] quotes a government weapons specialist: "Oh, I only say 'nucular' when I'm talking about nukes."<ref>{{cite web |last=Nunberg |first=Geoffrey |url=http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~nunberg/nucular.html |title=Going Nucular |date=October 2, 2002 |accessdate=2008-09-14}}</ref> Nunberg argues that this pronunciation by weapons specialists and by politicians such as Bush – who are aware of the more accepted pronunciation – may be a "deliberate choice". He suggests that the reasons for this choice are to "assert authority" or to sound folksy. |
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==See also== |
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* [[Bushism]] |
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* [[Strategery]] |
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* [[U.S. Presidents IQ hoax]] |
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==References== |
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{{Spoken Wikipedia|Nucular.ogg|2006-01-20}} |
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{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Sociolinguistics]] |
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[[Category:Nuclear energy]] |
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Revision as of 09:08, 6 January 2013
Common mispronunciation of the word nuclear.