Freddies English Teaching Course

[Dreamy_Queen]

Hi there!
I'm again here with stupid questions
Why I noticed that people laughed at the way Mika says Origin? Like Awrigin.
Does he sound wrong? Or it is posh English (like in Sherlock BBS people transcript Cumberbatch's pronunciation of "John" as "Jawn")

[silver]

Originally Posted by Dreamy_Queen

Hi there!
I'm again here with stupid questions
Why I noticed that people laughed at the way Mika says Origin? Like Awrigin.
Does he sound wrong? Or it is posh English (like in Sherlock BBS people transcript Cumberbatch's pronunciation of "John" as "Jawn")

Mika is trying to fit a three syllable word into a space where a two syllable word should be - so instead of or-ig-in he tries to squeeze the first two syllables together and ends up with awr-gin

[Christine]

Originally Posted by silver

Mika is trying to fit a three syllable word into a space where a two syllable word should be - so instead of or-ig-in he tries to squeeze the first two syllables together and ends up with awr-gin

It's a failure of the song IMO because it ruins the chorus. It's especially odd because on the recorded version every word is so perfectly enunciated and metered to match the back beat.

[Dreamy_Queen]

Originally Posted by silver

Mika is trying to fit a three syllable word into a space where a two syllable word should be - so instead of or-ig-in he tries to squeeze the first two syllables together and ends up with awr-gin

Oh, thank you for the answer!
So, it sounds very odd for you?

Originally Posted by Christine

It's a failure of the song IMO because it ruins the chorus. It's especially odd because on the recorded version every word is so perfectly enunciated and metered to match the back beat.

Thanks God I'm not a native speaker, and it sounds to me absolutely normally and doesn't ruin the song, which I admire!
But I always wondered how does it feels to be a native English speaker - and thus understand everything, and notice the faults that no-one else would see.
I almost never listen to the songs in Russian and Ukrainian, btw.

[basicamenteyo]

Originally Posted by silver

Mika is trying to fit a three syllable word into a space where a two syllable word should be - so instead of or-ig-in he tries to squeeze the first two syllables together and ends up with awr-gin

Is this the way you separate syllables??

We do it differently in Spain. For "origin" we would do "o-ri-gin". Which is the rule you have to separate syllables??

[Dreamy_Queen]

Originally Posted by basicamenteyo

Is this the way you separate syllables??

We do it differently in Spain. For "origin" we would do "o-ri-gin". Which is the rule you have to separate syllables??

The same would be in Ukrainian.

[Christine]

Originally Posted by Dreamy_Queen

But I always wondered how does it feels to be a native English speaker - and thus understand everything, and notice the faults that no-one else would see.

I guess I'm having the same experience in French. I really love un soleil mal luné because his voice is so pretty but when I stop to think about the "like the sun" line I can imagine how cheesy that would sound in English and perhaps if you are a native French speaker. I'm glad I don't really understand it in the way I understand English songs.

Generally though I think the songs on this album are very good and Origin of Love has some great moments but it is never going to be one of his "greats" for me no matter how many times he says how great it is. I think it's a great concept and he could have even called the song Origin of Love but not literally used those words in the song. Or maybe just mentioned "origin of love" once somewhere in a verse and had a different chorus. Aside from the pronunciation problem I just find it an awkward phrase when it is repeated over and over in a pop song. Mika keeps saying it "reminds you of" a Penguin book cover etc...but honestly it just reminds me of Darwin's On the Origin of Species which I really don't think is what he's going for here.

Originally Posted by basicamenteyo

We do it differently in Spain. For "origin" we would do "o-ri-gin". Which is the rule you have to separate syllables??

I would say either o-ri-gin or or-i-gin, but definitely keep the "gin" on the end as one syllable.

[lollipop161]

"let's go" - what the S means?!

[macboll]

The 's means "us"

[Christine]

Originally Posted by lollipop161

"let's go" - what the S means?!

It's a contraction of "us". No one really speaks like that anymore (let us go), so you would always use the contraction.

[lollipop161]

Originally Posted by Christine

It's a contraction of "us". No one really speaks like that anymore (let us go), so you would always use the contraction.

ohhh I see! interesting, thanks! I had no idea and we use it all the time...

[boom_kimool_boom]

hi!

i have some problems in understanding some of lines from the song "Underwater" like 4example "You shot and leavin' me raw", i can't understand it any helps??