I need a word for...

[deird1]

...the really odd sensation of not realising that two things are the same thing.


This has happened to me before, many times. For instance: after decades of hearing Americans talk about Rice Krispies, I saw a box on a tv show, and suddenly realised that they were the same thing as Rice Bubbles. (I'd been picturing something more like Cornflakes, but made from rice.)


And, most recently, I watched an American show with the subtitles on. Which meant that, when "Tamara" came on screen, I could see that people were calling her "Tamara".

I have, apparently, spent years watching tv shows with people called Tamara.

The thing is, though, that in Australia, I'd say "ta-MAR-ah". In America, it seems to be "TAM-ra".

For years and years, I have seen character after character called Tamra, and never ever realised that it was actually just a different pronunciation of Tamara. And now I'm a bit weirded out.

Comments

[kerkevik_2014]

Rice Bubbles?

How on Earth did Australia end up calling Rice Krispies that?

What was the show called?

And invent a word; see how many people pick it up, and whether it gets into the OED :-)

Now THAT would be something to tell the grand-kids :-)

kerk

[zeborah]

Because they're bubbles made out of rice. That they're also crisp is true but not really germane because there are all sorts of other ways to make rice crisp: the really interesting thing is that they're bubbles.

[lliira]

I've always heard "Tamara" as "ta-MAR-ah" over here too. What show had someone pronouncing it differently?

[deird1]

Several shows, but most recently The Newsroom.

[velvetwhip]

I've always heard it pronounced "ta-MAR-ah." Hmmm...


Gabrielle

[deird1]

I wonder if it's a region-specific thing?

[velvetwhip]

It might me. Because while, come to think of it, I have also heard it pronounced as "TA-mar-a", I have never heard it reduced to two syllables. But the USA is a vast place and we have an amazing number of regional vagaries.



Gabrielle

[lliira]

Yeah, when I thought about it I realized I'd heard TAM-a-rah sometimes too. But never three syllables reduced to two for that name.

[shehasathree]

1) I'm sure there is a word for it but I can't think of it atm. Sorry.
2) OMGwhat seriously? I imagined exactly the same like-cornflakes-but-rice-based thing for Rice Krispies. Wtf.
3) it actually took me a significant amount of time to realise that Tara in BtVS is, in fact, called Tara and not "Terra". (Also I can't hear a distinction between Aaron and Erin in most American accents.)

[nenya_kanadka]

Huh! I'm Canadian and always said it Tam-AR-ah, or maybe more like Tam-AYR-ah. Wonder if that's me working off the way it's written again, or if the pronunciation varies on this continent.

[curiouswombat]

We have Rice Krispies if they are Kelloggs', and Rice Bubbles or Rice Crispies, if they are other brands. But we call them all Rice Krispies.

[brin_bellway]

I have, apparently, spent years watching tv shows with people called Tamara.

Huh, really? I've never heard the name Tamara spoken aloud. I've only met one Tamara, whom I corresponded with by email, and I've never encountered any fictional Tamaras. I had actually assumed the name wasn't used in English, and that that one Tamara was from somewhere foreign.

(I don't think I've heard of any Tamras, either, so it isn't that.)