Nowadays “tomahto” is considered British pronunciation and “tomayto” American, but many Americans pronounce tomato {and aunt ) with a broad a. Either pronunciation is considered standard. The only “rule” is to go with the pronunciation you prefer. Either is easily understood by other English speakers.
Why do people say tomato tomahto?
Etymology. Uses the American English and British English pronunciations of the word tomato. Allusion to George Gershwin’s song “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”: “You like tomato (/təˈmeɪtoʊ/) and I like tomato (/təˈmɑːtoʊ/)”.
Why do British people say tomahto?
The word “tomato” is pronounced differently each time you say it—so it ends up being something like “tomAYto, toMAHto” and then you can detect the differences. This originally came from a song where they say both in that sort of way, and it is very much a British/American English thing.
Do people say Potahto?
(While “potahto” is not an accepted pronunciation in any English-speaking population, the phrase is an allusion to a verse in the song “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”: “You like potayto, I like potahto; you like tomayto, I like tomahto; potayto, potahto, tomayto, tomahto, let’s call the whole thing off!”) A: “Well,
Why do people say potato potato?
As an informal turn of speech, it can be used to show that two or more parties are talking about basically the same thing but not in same exact terms, or not quite agreeing on the specifics. Yet written down as tomato-tomato or potato-potato it looks just plain wrong and confusing (like in the video title above).
What is the singular of tomatoes?
The singular spelling of tomato doesn’t contain the letter “E,” so it is somewhat understandable that people would get confused when the plural does. The correct plural spelling is tomatoes. Tomatos is a common misspelling.
Why do Americans say tomato differently?
Tomato originated from Central/South America where they call it tomate (pronounced as doh-‘mah-deh) in Spanish. English borrowed the spelling, altered the ending a bit and kept the pronunciation as intact as possible, thus to-‘mah-to.
Does tomato rhyme with potato?
Rhymes with potato: tomato keto jato rubato obbligato [20 more]
Can potato be spelled potatoe?
In American English is the proper spelling potato or potatoe? The correct spelling in all varieties of English is “potato”; and the plural is spelt “potatoes” in all varieties.
What is potato tomato?
The pomato (a portmanteau of potato and tomato) is a grafted plant that is produced by grafting together a tomato plant and a potato plant, both of which are members of the Solanum genus in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Cherry tomatoes grow on the vine, while white potatoes grow in the soil from the same plant.
How do Canadians say tomato?
Both Americans and Canadians will say ‘tomayto‘ (tomato) as Brits say ‘ tomahto.
What words do Australians and Americans say differently?
English Words Pronounced Differently in America (at least in North-eastern area)
| WORD | AMERICAN PRONUNCIATION | AUSTRALIAN PRONUNCIATION |
|---|---|---|
| Basil | BAY-zil | BAZZ-el |
| Herb | ERB | HERB |
| Oregano | o-REG-ee-NO | ORR-ee-GARN-o |
| Tomato | Toe-MAY-do | Two-MART-o |
What is a potato slang?
In a slang, potato is someone uninteresting,dull,strange ,ugly or fat.
Where does the saying tomato tomato come from?
Origin of tomato-tomato
Uses the American English and British English pronunciations of the word tomato. Allusion to George Gershwin’s song “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”: “You like tomatoes (/təˈmeɪtoʊz/) and I like tomatoes (/təˈmɑːtoʊz/)”.
Which is correct buses or busses?
The plural form of bus is buses.
What is the plural of avocado?
The farmers came up with a new name: avocado. They informed dictionary publishers of the change — and that the plural was spelled “avocados,” not “avocadoes” — and named their own group the California Avocado Association. The approach worked.
What is a plural of mango?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary does provide its preferred spellings, but ultimately lists either as correct. Here at the National Mango Board, we like to keep it easy, and we’ve decided to go with “mangos.”
What does it mean when people say tomato?
(idiomatic) Used to dismissively suggest that something is a distinction without a difference.
What does it mean when someone says tomato?
As other answers explain, it refers to a difference between two opinions that is so small that it doesn’t matter. This expression alludes to a song by George and Ira Gershwin from 1937, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”. In the song the two pronunciations of “tomato” are compared: “tuh may to” and “tuh mah to”.
What’s another word for tomato?
What is another word for tomato?
| simple fruit | orange |
|---|---|
| pea pod | true fruit |
Where does tomato tomato come from?
The wild species originated in the Andes Mountains of South America, probably mainly in Peru and Ecuador, and is thought to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian Mexico; its name is derived from the Náhuatl (Aztec) word tomatl.