Talk:Fillet (cut)

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Don't forget that it is also pronounced 'fill-it' in Australia (and poss New Zealand)!

And in Britain and Ireland, too. I've made a change. 131.111.8.102 18:26, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pronunciation

It may be worth noting some of the nuances of this pronunciation.

As mentioned, Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (along with others) use the pronunciation of "fill-it" or "fill-et", while north America typically uses "fill-ay". The latter corresponds with the French pronunciation of filet. However, when Britain, et al. refer to the French dish "Filet Mignon", they use both the French spelling and pronunciation. This is consistent with the English adoption of many French phrases, such as "faux pas".

The differing pronunciation may have originated during the time of the war of independence. There was a backlash against England in many areas, including language. One effect was the publication of Websters Dictionary, which included several "new" spellings for English words. I have been informed (no citation unfortunately) that it was as a part of this process that the (now) USA chose to adopt the French pronunciation of "lieutenant".

While this history may apply to "lieutenant" I have no knowledge if it also applies to "Fillet". It would be interesting to mention this information if someone is able to provide a definitive reference.

65.91.254.98 17:26, 17 April 2007 (UTC)