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pronunciation of "neither" in singing

 
 
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 02:46 pm
I was told today that the British pronunciation of the word "neither" is correct for singing in the U.S.

I'm asking specifically for singing during an Anglican church service in the U.S.

I'm talking about a GROUP of people and you want the group to all sing the same vowel, so they need to decide on one or the other of the two common pronunciations (British [or maybe northeast U.S.?] and American).


Any opinions about this?
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Type: Question • Score: 8 • Views: 2,387 • Replies: 9
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Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 02:50 pm
@Eduardo2,
Sing it any way you want as there's no right or wrong. After all, it's art.

It's only rock and roll but I like it.
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Tes yeux noirs
 
  0  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 05:17 pm
I am a British English speaker and I can tell you that the idea that there is an "American" way to pronounce either/neither, and one sole "British" way is an American misconception. Within British English, both are OK. "Eether" is more common in the north of England and "eye-ther" in the south of England, with the Midlands and London using both. Pronounce it how you like. Anyhow, if by "Anglican" you mean Episcopalian, although both churches are part of the Anglican communion, I don't think that Lambeth Palace can or even wants to dictate how you sing over there.


farmerman
 
  1  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 05:33 pm
@Tes yeux noirs,
how bout "ITHER"? They say it that way in Appalachia.
"Iss Ither this way ern thayt"

Thats a style common from the panhandle of Virginia along the Appalachiaans North just past the Pa line , where the "Eyether/EEther" takes over

Along the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake they say "Oyther" .
glitterbag
 
  1  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 09:43 pm
@farmerman,
You say 'eether', and I say 'eyether'.

Lets call the whole thing off.
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Eduardo2
 
  1  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 09:58 pm
I think I didn't phrase my question very well. I'm wondering about if one of the two pronunciations is preferred for singing. I think certain vowels are preferred over others in singing. And I guess it depends on the style of singing. That's why I mentioned the Anglican (not Episcopal...yes, there are Anglicans in the U.S.!) church. I probably need to put this in a vocal music forum, huh? I can't find the right place to post it.
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Eduardo2
 
  1  
Reply Sun 27 Dec, 2015 10:03 pm
@Tes yeux noirs,
Thank you for your reply! Of course I've heard it both ways in the U.S. but I didn't know both pronunciations were also in British English. It's not the Archbishop of Canterbury's approval I'm looking for but that of the choral music people.
0 Replies
 
ekename
 
  1  
Reply Mon 28 Dec, 2015 01:36 am
@Eduardo2,
Neither neither nor neither is neither correct nor incorrect as either neither or neither is correct.

Post the lyrics.
layman
 
  1  
Reply Mon 28 Dec, 2015 01:59 am
@ekename,
It seems like the only fair thing to do is to switch pronunciations every other time.

Either that, or whatever rhymes, ya know?
0 Replies
 
FBM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 28 Dec, 2015 11:08 pm
@ekename,
ekename wrote:

Neither neither nor neither is neither correct nor incorrect as either neither or neither is correct.

Post the lyrics.


http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb192/DinahFyre/941057_1272648316219696_3866173056738123250_n.png
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