Discussion Forum (Archived)
Guest
Several years ago I helped manage a small internet company (60 employees) and in an attempt to be light-hearted would periodically pronounce the word moot as mute. I was surprised by the lack of reaction and felt that they just didn't want to confront me about it. The longer I worked there, the more I noticed other people in serious conversations pronouncing moot as mute or indeed saying mute when they meant moot. In addition the use of the word they were mispronouncing could always be defined as "meaningless" as opposed to debatable. Since leaving the job, I have witnessed this several times in social settings. Do you think that this trend will lead to a common acceptance of the mispronunciation much akin to nucular instead of nuclear?
I think the "meaningless" interpretation is based on "irrelevant". They don't mean the same thing, but in most people's minds the latter implies the former, and for the purposes of casual conversation, at least, I'm inclined to agree.
It's a fine distinction, but I like maintaining fine distinctions.
I've always assumed (dangerous, of course) that those who say "mute" have heard it used at some point, not known the word, and thought it was "mute" and picked it up and used it. I believe I've even had arguments where someone has tried to tell me that the phrase really is "mute point" and they've had all sorts of reasons as to why the point is unspoken, or maybe should have been unspoken. Is it a moot pronounciation? 
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
1 Guest(s)