How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Discuss the tricks and sleights which appear in Genii.
Lisa Cousins
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How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 6th, 2003, 12:31 pm

There can be no doubt that far too much of the magic community's energy is expended in correcting people's pronunciation of Acer. In an effort to redirect those energies into more constructive channels, I would like to encourage David to take an "either pronunciation is correct" stance on the matter. Hey, some other Canadian guy did it, and David can, too.

As part of this effort, I would like members to indicate how long they mispronounced David Acer's name, so that he can be made aware of the extent of the problem.

If this should prove a success, I will get busy attempting the same thing for Johnny "Ace" Palmer. (It's pronounced Johnny "Ack" Palmer.)

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 6th, 2003, 1:29 pm

Once we realized that "Acer" was the Canadian form of "Smith", we have not had any trouble pronouncing it since.

Rosie

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 6th, 2003, 8:12 pm

LOL, I feel an urge to remind everybody that Andi Gladwin and I have, for the last couple years, hosted a fun and educational mnemonic device on the proper pronunciation, cleverly disguised in the form of a small video game, on our site. Those interested can find it at:

http://www.asquaredproductions.com/games/acer.asp

Best wishes, and much love to David,
Andy Leviss

P.S.-It's been quite some time since we first posted that game, but rest assured, more will be coming soon. The evil boys of A have a couple new ideas up our sleeves (btw, if anybody has some cartoon/caricature ability and wants to play a part in some of our upcoming shenanigans, drop me an e-mail!).

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Matthew Field
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Matthew Field » September 7th, 2003, 8:37 am

Lisa, your poll neglects the choice which fits me, i.e., "Never pronounce the name Acer out loud for fear of invoking Chthulu or other gods with unpronounceable names."

Matt Field

Lisa Cousins
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 7th, 2003, 9:39 am

Gee, Matt - I swear that was one of the choices. I'm not sure why it didn't register - must have been some technical glitch.

Andy: I well remember the Acer-Whacker (and my dismal score thereon), and it definitely served its purpose as an aid to memory. Yet I still find that when I say "David Acer" aloud, there is an extra beat in there that goes:

"David ... [it's not what you think] ... Acker"

Steve V
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Steve V » September 7th, 2003, 10:35 am

Now I'm really ashamed. I know a guy who's last name is Acer (Acker) and I STILL thought it was David Ace-er. Next I'll find out the 'a' in David is a short vowl.
Steve V
Steve V

Bill Mullins
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Bill Mullins » September 7th, 2003, 8:55 pm

While we're at it, is Pete's last name:

BEE-roh
BYE-roh
BIHR-o
Bi-ROH
or something else????

Lisa Cousins
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 8th, 2003, 7:34 pm

Bill: Unless I'm misinformed, it's pronounced BYE-roh.

I also want to credit Ralph Bonheim as the person who performed my Acer-pronunciation-correction. The thing was, at the very moment he was explaining it to me, I could tell that we were just about to invent a trick, but the energy just drained away. What a waste!

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 9th, 2003, 5:43 am

I thought it was bwah-ROH, as in the pronunciation of Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot. Pete is French, Uh, I mean Belgian, isn't he? --Asrah (pron. ass-RAW) :p

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 9th, 2003, 10:27 pm

As for Biro, isn't that simply a pen name?

David Acer
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby David Acer » September 10th, 2003, 8:52 pm

Forget about Acer - I'm wondering when people are going to realize my first name is pronounced "Dapid".
Now tweeting daily from @David_Acer

James Lee
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby James Lee » September 11th, 2003, 6:29 am

Dapid: I knew that. But is the emphasis on the Da or the pid? Or is it the Dap or the id?

Ja mes'

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Stefan Nilsson
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Stefan Nilsson » September 22nd, 2003, 1:51 pm

And the biggest question of all: How do you pronounce "Genii"? My dictionary (www.webster.com) suggests "geni-eye" but everyone seems to leaving out the "eye"-part. Please enlighten me. ;)

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 22nd, 2003, 2:10 pm

Acker
Bee ro
Jeen eye

That's how I pronounce them.

Alain Roy
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Alain Roy » September 24th, 2003, 10:45 am

Stefan, what dictionary did you look in? Here in the US, I've always heard it pronounced like Gee-Nee. The i's are not pronounced separately.

I looked it up in two online dictionarys: www.m-w.com and www.dictionary.com. Both agreed with me.

I also looked it up in the online Oxford English Dictionary. That didn't help me with the pronunciation, but it made me realize that I didn't completely understand the word. Genii is the plural of Genie or Genius (but not the "smart person" meaning, but the "spirit" meaning of Genius, which I didn't even know existed until just now.)

Definition two of "genius" from the OED: 2. A demon or spiritual being in general. Now chiefly in pl. genii (the sing. being usually replaced by GENIE), as a rendering of Arab. jinn, the collective name of a class of spirits (some good, some evil) supposed to interfere powerfully in human affairs.

I've never heard this definition of Genius before. Fascinating stuff.

-alain

Guest

Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Guest » September 24th, 2003, 11:56 am

I always assumed Gee-Nee

But I see why one might think to pronounce it Geni-Eye, since both Is in Radii are pronounced.

Dave

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 24th, 2003, 12:50 pm

Those who have been reading "Genii Speaks" since I bought the magazine have already heard all of this.
"Genii" is spelled that way because Bill Larsen, Sr. like the way the two lowercase "i"s looked together when he started the magazine in 1936. Period. The magazine is pronounced "Gee-nee."
One could pronounce our spelling as Gee-nee-i but we do NOT. Just the way some people pronounce identically spelled last names differently.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Randy DiMarco
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby Randy DiMarco » September 24th, 2003, 1:03 pm

I pronounce Genii the best general magic magazine on the market today.
Whoops - that's the wrong definition of pronounce.

mike cookman
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Re: How Long Did You Mispronounce Acer?

Postby mike cookman » September 29th, 2003, 6:07 pm

Some people, when speaking of Richard Kaufman, pronounce his name as "Coffman," which I happen to know is not correct. It's more like "Cowfman." Just so you know. :)


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