XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage   
   From: phil@anonymous.invalid   
      
   On 30/07/2024 01:08, Peter Moylan wrote:   
   >   
   > It was a mistake to coin a word ending in -pic. We don't have many such   
   > words, but for all the ones I can think of there is a simple   
   > pronunciation rule: the stress falls on the penultimate syllable.   
      
   I have the slight impression that 'biOpic' may be establishing itself in   
   the wild, as I've heard some film reviewers and other meeja types   
   pronounce it that way.   
   >   
   > Some years ago there was an attempt in AUE to introduce a new word:   
   > ellefescent. (Named for a regular known as LFS.) That coining was done   
   > by people with a feel for the language. The pronunciation was obvious,   
   > and the spelling didn't misle anyone.   
   >   
      
   An English teacher at my old school always insisted that 'nomenclature'   
   should be pronounced with stress on the first and third syllables, so as   
   to reflect its etymology. (I hadn't realised until just now that he was   
   in agreement with the AmE pronunciation -- BrE uses second-syllable stress).   
      
   I don't think we ever asked him to say 'helicopter'.   
      
   --   
   Phil B   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)