Poll: How do you say twat?

[unicron44]

Being American I never hear anyone say twat unless they're from the UK and usually I hear it rhyme with hat. I do, though, remember being called a twat by a British person. I thought it was fucking hilarious.

My buddy," Why is that so funny?"
Me: "I'm pretty sure he just called me a vagina."

 

[Electrogecko]

Wow I'm very surprised to find that I'm in the vast minority here.

I'm left wondering what "other" way there is to pronounce it.

 

[Jedamethis]

Rhymes with hot. That's how I say it.

See, if you were anyone else, I'd wonder if that was trolling... but then I read other posts and think 'huh?!'

OT: Last two letters are 'a' & 't'. How do I pronounce 'at'? Sure as hell not 'ot', so yeah, rhymes with 'hat'.

How do you pronounce knife? nife or knife?
neighbour is of course pronounced neghbor right?

Words with foreign language etemology don't always follow standard english rules.

Foreign language etymology? When the hell was twat not an English word? 0.o

Really, I don't know why you'd be able to get it mixed up. Swat is pronounced that way because it is onomatopoeic.

 

[Marcus McLean]

"Twot"

Sounds wrong, doesn't it? That's because it is.

 

[CastIronWin]

"It's pronounced Thwaite!!!"

Seriously though, it rhymes with hat. I think that "twot" is a different word entirely.

BUT IT'S SPELT TWAT!

OT: but it is spoken in the queen's english to rhyme with hat.

 

[skcseth]

Rhymes with hot but it's about to start rhyming with hat because it sounds more awesome-er.

 

[Davey Woo]

I never knew that it was ever pronounced in any way other than rhyming with hat.

I also thought it was a solely UK word, but obviously not.

 

[DevilishGryphon]

And this is why the English language needs accents on letters, it would make things like this so much easier...

And there is no 'correct' way to pronounce it, it's colloquialism and hence has no particular way to pronounce it. A lot of non-colloquial words also share discrepancy in pronunciation. It all depends upon where you hear it as to what pronunciation you will hear.

OT: Twat as in hat. I usually pronounce words as if they were onomatopoeic, due to the aforementioned lack of accents.

 

[Mr C]

Twot and Twat are two different things.

Twot = Total Waste of Time.

Twat is the swear word.

What this guy said.

My addition = Twat - a vulgar word meaning vagina or someone you don't like - see ****.



Everybody else seems to be arguing about linguistics without any knowledge of the subject. Spelling is not enough, ask a non-native speaker of English how helpful they find English spelling with regards to pronunciation. They will tell you that many words aren't logical. They only seem logical if your brain has been naturally wired to speak them. Don't believe me, write this word as you say it 'through'.

 

[sunburst]

There are a lot of twat-hurt Brits in this thread.

Spoiler: People from different places pronounce words differently?!

I pronounce it both ways. Like hat when I'm legitimately upset and like hot when I'm just being condescending.

So it rhymes with 'hunt'

A winner is you.

 

[runnernda]

I live in Philadelphia, and I say twot. *shrug* I think both are right.

 

[The Ambrosian]

How do I say twat? Frequently, and with venom. Also, to rhyme with hat. It's a very English curse.

Indeed, I've always thought about it as very English, and I've never heard a English person say it in the 'hot' way, so 'hat' way it is.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/twat

From now on I shall tell people just what thveits they are.

OT: I've heard the "hot" pronounciation in the Legend of Niel but I thought it was part of the pun. Otherwise it just sounds ridikkulus.

EDIT:

SNIP

Oh god you're right... why isn't it spelt SWOT

Kudos to you Darque.

Erm, that isn't conclusive evidence. There is something called hetronyms. A list of some here: [link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteronym_(linguistics)[/link]. Having said that, if Americans want to pronounce it "twot" let them; after all they say "erbs" instead of "herbs" even though there's a bloody H in there =P [sub][sub]I heart Eddie Izzard.[/sub][/sub]

Clearly you 'avent talked to any Noorveners.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I say it twu-at,rhymes with hat.

I didn't know that some people pronounced it differently.

 

[GoGrapefruit]

Being incredibly English, I pronounce it "Terr-watt"
Henceforth, i picked 'other'

Yes but that rhyms with hat...

Also yes you say it like hat

 

[mionic]

Rhymes with hat, because everything is more awesome if it somehow relates to hats in any way.

Could not have said it any better myself
OT: That twat took my hat!

 

[jebussaves88]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMj7mfla-TA

This should help

 

[snappydog]

Maybe I'm just stupidly British, but I've NEVER heard 'twot'. Ever.

 

[v3n0mat3]

When i lived in Ohio it was "twat"
I live in Texas now and it is "twot"
I always assumed it was a southern U.S. thing to say twot.

Actually, I pronounce it "tw-at" (Lives in Fl, with a southern accent).