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Is it neat? No it is not.

Is it neat? No it is not.

Is it neat? No it is not.

(OP)
ca·ve·at
 
Someone applied this word in a thread on an eng-tips forum.  At the time it made me feel a bit ignorant not knowing what it really meant but the context seemed to help a lot and I thought, "oh -- that's a cute word but don't know if I would ever use it because it sounds just a little too cutesy for me."  Or more likely just too lazy to look it up (sorry for the "up" jimbo just could'na help myself).

When I read it, my feeble mind pronounced it to ryme with neet (as in neat).  Today at work, we had a presentation from some bank people about direct deposit and during the presentation, the word caveat was used but pronounced correctly.  The last syllable rymed with "not" (as in ca-ve-ott).  I thought, oh -- that sounds much more robust and meaty than caveet.  It just kind of rolls off the tongue --eh?

so anyhow get prepared to become deluged with overuse of this word by politicians, newfolks, ad-infinitum, ad-naseaueum.  Not knocking the person who used it on 'tips.  It actually seemed quite fitting and intellectual at the time.  Now don't you dare overuse hereabouts!

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

metman,

I believe the correct pronunciation is "kav-ee-at", rather than "kav-ee-ot".

(I won't get into an argument about whether it is "kav-ee-at", "ka-vee-at", or "kay-vee-at". However, I am 100% confident that it is NOT pronounced "ka-vee-are", which is a different bowl of fish eggs altogether!)

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

I'm confused... are we discussing neet or kaveot?

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

I think "kav-ee-at" is neet...

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 2005 SP0.1

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

The problem with the above (or any) audio link, is that it is dependant upon the listeners ear to interpret what is heard. The female voice (to me) has an obvious American accent & is thus "distorted" to what my ears are used to hearing.

I hear "kav-ee-art" (or Caviar with a t). I have not included the written accents as it is too much trouble to rummage through the Process TGML plus I do not understand them anyway. I would pronounce it "Kav-ee-at" with a soft short "a", not the soft long "a" which I am hearing. With "caveat emptor", I hear "kav-ee-art empt-er" not the "kav-ee-at empt-or" which I would use.

My sons name is David, but when I (& especially my wife) speak his name, others around us (Canadian or American) hear it as Dye-vid. Similarly when Canadians or Americans say the name Craig, we hear, Kreg.

So I guess the Caveat here is, it depends on what the listeners ear is attuned to, which dictates the interpretation of what is actually heard.

& all the best.

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

they otter add a timestamp to the posts, so that simultaneous posts don't look quite so dumb.

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

CorBlimeyLimey,

   When I was a kid, I heard my dad refer to the colour "karky".  I was puzzled when I finally learned it was spelled "khaki", and I heard people pronounce it "kakky".

   My dad was in the Canadian army in the late forties and early fifties.  I finally realized that he must have heard all sorts of expatriate Brits pronounce it "kokky", and he just assumed they were dropping that "r".

                  JHG

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

I'd always heard and pronounced it as "karky" or "car-key". It was not until I came to the "Great White North" that I heard it as "kakky". At first I thought they were referring to the colour of a substance usually produced by babies ... "kakka". I've never heard it said as "kokky", but then again it depends how you are pronouncing the "o".

& all the best.

RE: Is it neat? No it is not.

In grade school I had a teacher that would pronounce water as "wor-tor" and wash as "worsh."  I forget where she was from... it was 4th grade.

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

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