Do you know the correct pronunciation of "corpsman"?
I was about 9 years old (54 years ago) when I learned that "corps" is pronounced "core" as in Army Corps of Engineers, Marine Corps, etc. I was dumbfounded at hearing our "Dear Leader", with his Harvard education, pronounce it as "corpseman" at least three times.
2010-02-05T04:05:29Z
I'd like to know by what rationale anyone could try to justify his mispronunciation by stating "He wasn't in the military"? If I learned the correct pronunciation at age 9 in elementary school you'd think he'd have learned it by the time he left Harvard.
Anonymous2010-02-05T03:50:34Z
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Yes I do, and Obama has insulted every Marine and Sailor who ever served by his lack of knowledge of those he commands
English Teacher, I am surprised at you. I did exactly as you said others did not: checked the dictionary. You gave an alternate pronunciation for Corpsman that is acceptable, but it is not the pronunciation that Obama used, so your point is irrelevant. If the phonetic alternative included the hard "p" sound, it would have been the way Obama used it. What you pointed out is that it is acceptable to put an "s" sound in there. Obama put a "p" where it doesn't belong. I, however, am not of the mind to chastise him. It's a common mistake and one I am almost sure he won't make again.
I wish I had heard it! I made the same mistake a few weeks ago. There are at least two ways to mispronounce the accepted pronunciation of the word corpsman And, Marine Corps Kor man is the accepted version. I didn't hear President Obama pronounce the word. The questioner was nine when he realized the accepted version of pronunciation. I find that remarkable. I've heard Marine Core Marine Cores coreman, corpseman I think the correct pronunciation is core'man thanks
Perhaps some of your language geniuses should have checked the dictionary first. According to Merriam-Webster, "korez-mun" (spelled phonetically to help you out) is an accepted pronunciation of the word.
Main Entry: corps·man Pronunciation: \ˈkȯr(z)-mən\ Function: noun Date: 1901 1 : an enlisted man trained to give first aid and minor medical treatment 2 : a member of a government-sponsored service corps
RE: Do you know the correct pronunciation of "corpsman"? I was about 9 years old (54 years ago) when I learned that "corps" is pronounced "core" as in Army Corps of Engineers, Marine Corps, etc. I was dumbfounded at hearing our "Dear Leader", with his Harvard education, pronounce it as "corpseman" at least three...