I’m listening to an audiobook which has a lot to do with the Internets. It’s a pretty good book, and part of a pretty good series, but there is one consistent mispronunciation that’s driving me nuts. However, upon further reflection, I realized that it’s remotely possible that I’ve been saying the phrase incorrectly all these years. I’m fairly certain that, if I am, I’m far from alone. But, it’s always good to check these things. That’s where you come in.
The mispronunciation in question comes about when the acronym TTL is expanded and the component words are said individually. Do you say the last word as:
- the last syllable in the word ‘alive’, or
- the first syllable in the word ‘livid’
Like I said, I’m pretty sure I know which way this is going to go, because the term just doesn’t make sense to me the other way. But I never underestimate the ability of the world to surprise me.
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Asked to help meri, that is. Grammar fail.
like livid. Not alive.
The latter. Short i.
Like livid, because that’s how the verb is pronounced. Like alive is an adjective or adverb, which doesn’t parse correctly.
Time to go, time to pay, time to die, yes.
Time to green, time to sardonic, time to haphazardly, not so much.
First, TTL is not an acronym. There are no vowels, and, it therefore, cannot be pronounced as a word. Second, this is not a pronounciation question but a correct word question. Short i is the only logical choice, going by the definition of TTL.
Phil: Regarding your first point, you are correct. The proper word is ‘initialism’. 🙂
Oh, and actually, what part of Logic could be prounced like liv or alive?
Philip, I’m disappointed that you can’t imagine TiTtLe, how do you pronounce SQL? TTLs make me giggle simply because of how I think they sound. 😀
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