As you might know, some time ago we created a YouTube channel to publish some of our content under a video format. Here’s one thing we discovered: producing videos that talk about grammar and punctuation and that are entertaining at the same time is quite a challenge! That being said, we believe we are getting closer, and would love to have your feedback on the video below.
Please let us know with a comment if you like the video and if you would like to see more of those produced in the future. You can also find it on YouTube.
Below you’ll find the video transcript, but I highly recommend that you watch the video instead of reading the transcript.
Rick: Hi everybody. My name is Rick and here are the details. We are going to hold a debate under the aygis of the League of Women Voters.
Audience member: Under the what?
Rick: The aygis.
Audience: You mean aegis.
Rick: I thought it was aygis.
Audience: Misspelling aegis is one of the biggest mistakes of the ages, Rick!
Rick: Well, anyways the debate will take place…
Audience: Wait, wait. Anyways?
Rick: Yeah, anyways the debate will take place…
Audience: No, you mean anyway. Otherwise you will be referring to the many instances of stepping on a scale.
Rick: Oh, any weighs. I get it. Anyway, the debate will take place on one of the islands of the archie-pelagos.
Audience: Archipelagos!
Rick: Then what is archie-pelagoes?
Audience: I am thinking that has something to do with the bottom of your foot.
Rick: I may have falling archie-pelagoes ha ha.
Audience: Skip the bad jokes Rick. Please continue.
Rick: Okay. You should be aware that the air conditioning there is really, really efficient. Bring a coat. It’s going to be like the Ark-tic there.
Audience: Like the Arctic!
Rick: It’s spelled Ark-tic…
Audience: It’s pronounced Arctic! Ark-tick is the sound made by Noah’s clock on his big boat…
Rick: As I was saying, you may also want to bring an earmuff as an a-cessory.
Audience: Ack!
Rick: Did someone step on your foot?
Audience: Accessory! When you say a-cessory I expect you to mention another cessory or more cessories.
Rick: Right… So if any of you have any questions just aks me.
Audience: You don’t want them to do that.
Rick: To do what?
Audience: Axe you, although I’m tempted to axe you myself if you keep mispronouncing ask.
Rick: Oh! Gotcha. Just ask me anything. In my notes I will leave a footnote with an asterik.
Audience: Risk!
Rick: Am I still risking being axed?
Audience: The word is asterisk, not asterik. To say asterik is a disaster, Rick.
Rick: I will keep that in mind.
Audience: Apparently there’s plenty of room in there…
Rick: We are excited to feature a famous ath-a-lete at this gathering.
Audience: Ath-a-lete?
Rick: Yes, an ath-a-lete.
Audience: Is that a comp-a-lete fact?
Rick: Huh?
Audience: Athlete has two syllables. Rep-a-eat after me: Ath
Rick: Ath
Audience: Lete
Rick: Lete
Audience: Put them together.
Rick: Ath-a-lete
Audience: Well, I guess Ath-a-lete is better than none…
Rick: Sometimes I don’t understand you.
Audience: Imagine my surprise…
Rick: When you arrive the landing strip will be secured with bobbed wire.
Audience: Where did they get the wire bobbed? Is there a wire style saloon where you can get your wire bobbed?
Rick: Are you trying to make a point?
Audience: Yes, a point as sharp as those on barbed wire!
Rick: Oh! Barbed wire. Anyways…
Audience: Ahem!
Rick: Anyway to make things more exciting we have hidden a ca-shay full of prizes for you to find.
Audience: Cache.
Rick: No, not cash. Just fun prizes.
Audience: The word is not ca-shay, but cache.
Rick: But in France they say “ca-shay”.
Audience: Then they would also say “you are a-ay dope-aye!”
Rick: I think this information session is done. I will see you on the archie-pelagoes.
Audience: We will also see us at the Betty-pelagoes and Veronica-pelagoes?
Rick: Okay, we are done here.
Audience: That’s the most accurate thing you have said today.
“Assessory” sounds like a place they assess things.
Cool. I thought I knew it all (not really) but I learned a few things. Thanks!
The video was meant to amuse, but it grated on me. And I question some of the words chosen. “Anyways” and “aks” can be considered dialectal. But there are some others I would add. Tijuana has been in the news lately and I wince when I hear it pronounced “Tia-juana”, but the newspeople I listen to seem to have received lessons.
Even the audience seems confused by *arctic*, at least in the transcript. It is always, never not, dundantly and redundantly arK-tik. The C is pronounced, just like the clock on the boat, be there such a thing. NOT pronouncing it maes us thin you’re either stupid, or an’t spell, or all three, for all pratical purposes .
I looked up arctic in two dictionaries. Both list ark-tic as the preferred pronunciation with ar-tic as a second acceptable pronunciation, especially for waterproof overshoes. So…not so stupid after all!
ven the audience seems confused by *arctic*, at least in the transcript. It is always, never not,
The video was meant to amuse, but it grated on me
Another 2 that should be on here as early tocsins of the barbarians moving in:
The verb combat being stressed on the first syllable, as if it were a noun: KOM-bat. Yes, one might serve in KOM-bat. But if one is fighting against something, they are kom-BAT-ing that thing. Stress on the second syllable, kom-BAT. Just like most every other noun vs verb– REC-ord/re-CORD, PRO-duce/pro-DUCE. Bisyllabic verbs are usually stressed on the second syllable.
Second, why do we suddenly keep hearing about houssez, instead of houZes? Yes, the singular ends in an S sound– houss. But the plural changes that to a Z sound– houzes. Always has.