this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2023
33 points (88.4% liked)
Showerthoughts
29692 readers
2488 users here now
A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.
Rules
- All posts must be showerthoughts
- The entire showerthought must be in the title
- Avoid politics
- NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
- Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
- Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
- Posts must be original/unique
- Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct-----
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I guess you're a native speaker. As a foreigner, I can only nod my head. We know.
They're/their/there are completely different words. They mean different things and they're pronounced ever so slightly different, and you'll get you hand chopped off by a centimeter ruler if you do it wrong.
"There" is clearly longer than "their".
"There" is one tone. "Their" is rising.
It differs by region and dialect. The English speaking world has wildly different pronunciations, even within relatively close proximity.
This is the best explanation
Honestly I thought the distinction was just American but you're right, I think English uses slight intonation for context on nouns/verbs/prefixes but in a way we don't always write down or care about.