Is “fillet” a different word in “salmon fillet” than in “bread fillet”?
In the question “What are some words that are pronounced differently depending on which definition? “and was suggested by two people that when the word “fillet” is used to describe a thin strip of leather, it is a different word than when “fillet” is used to describe a thin strip of pork because it’s an insult, because the pronunciation differs.
On the culinary pronunciation the phrase “fil-AY,” while on the engineering pronunciation the phrase “FILL-it.” “This
seems very strange to me. ” Especially because the pronunciation apparently doesn’t differ in British English, even though it does in American English.
Are the phrases white paint and white paint mean the same thing? How do you describe a strip of thin material in English? Is it weird to think of one word as being a synonym for another?
If the two versions of fat are not the same words, are they equivalent when they are being used by the English speaker?
All this seems very confusing. Have you read the documentation?
In
response to an email I sent to the editors of the online Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, I received the following reply (in part) In
the case of “fillet”, I would argue that those are actually two different words. Do homologs and heteronyms exist in English?
Joshua S. Guenter, Ph.D. Editor of Pronunciation
As a native English speaker, I am fairly comfortable with The thick strip of material definition of fillet as the “thin fat” evolution of from one word to two different words – each one different and as a perceptual aspect, one must do so. Moreover, a person can have a different definition of fillet.
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Here in New Zealand I have heard it primarily as an English “-et” verb with the derived nouns having the same pronunciation. What do I do after I have got Red Cod filleted? For timber and plywood, I’m going to nail fillets over the gaps between the sheets of plywood and a matt finish. When I’ve finished filleting this timber, I’m going to nail the fillets over the matt finish. “I’ve got a job at the mill as a filleter. I like horses in particular”. If my job is to be more stable, I join the force, and go back to school if I can!” ” Oh, yep, I’ll hev a couple a’ fillet a’ lemin fush an’ a scoop a’ chups please. In
our clipped NZ dialect (Kiwinglush) it’s more natural to say fill-UT-id, fill-ITS, fill-UT-ing, fill-UT-uh, instead of fee-LAID, fee.LAYS, fee.LAY-ing, fee-LAY-er, that have English suffixes tacked onto a French root.
Filet is only used for filet mignon. By convention, people have used the filet in every meal as the national preference. What is a proper Fillet for an AP version? If so, just the correct size. How American people pronounce “Crona” and “Hussa” in French?
My understanding as a Brit, supported by the Chambers C20 dictionary, is that filet (pronounced -ey) and fillet (pronouncet -et) are separate English words; both derived from the French word filet, but with different meanings. Filet relates to an undercut of beef (tenderloin) – as in filet mignon. Fillet is the’strip’ meaning, so you can have a fillet of pork, chicken, beef, leather, wood, etc. I know the name of the salmon filet, but the product is not a salmon filet.
Someplace along the line, a fillet of fish or meat was understood to be without bones, hence part of the preparation of a fillet was to remove the bones and so in a culinary context ‘filleting’ became synonymous with removing bones.
Also in French, Filet (derived from the Latin ‘filum’) can mean mesh – as in a tennis net. In other contexts, embroidery is used and embroidery has the meaning “dedication.”
Does the fillit weld work?
What is the best way to describe and share a topic like “science, technology and art”?
If Merriam-Webster calls fillet (fill-it) and fillet (fill-ay) heteronyms, then they’re heteronyms and so two different words. I wouldn’t have thought so because of a thick strip of animal flesh, identically meaning a thin strip of animal flesh, and the fact that fillet (fill-ay) can alternatively be pronounced (fill-it), but if the people who write the big fat dictionary distinguish them as separate then separate they be. Why if the Webster clan doesn’t believe me, what should I do?
Other heteronyms, words that are spelled the same as each other but are distinct from one another with different meanings and pronunciations: wind (noun-blowing air) and wind (verb-what you do to a watch), minute (noun-a unit of time) and minute (adjective-very small), Polish (adjective-of or related to Poland) and polish (verb-shine). Is there any other source as well? What are some examples of verbs
in English?
In my question the
person who asked it could not have understood my English better. First note that you are completely wrong regarding the pronunciation of your name. several pronounce the “engineering” sense both ways, and many pronounce the “meat” sense both ways.
more subtlety, there are any number of engineer-chefs who pronounce both in mode A (identically), are any number of engineer-chefs who pronounce both in mode B (identically), are any number of engineer-chefs who pronounce them A/B, and any number of engineer-chefs who pronounce them B/A.
Although there are examples of similar words being used, it is obvious to the word-thinker that it is the same word. (filet – “strip of”)
it’s no funnier than if I said “chunk of meat” versus “chunk of leather”. “piece of meat” versus pieces of leather or a “strip of meat” versus a “strip of leather”.
Again it’s the same word – it’s that very simple. (fillet – strip. origin ‘thread’ in frogs.. origin ‘thread’ in fish. As utterly
un-mysterious. (Note that some words are pronounced variously is.. totally.. commonplace.
(2) If I’m not mistaken you are fundamentally asking: “Hey – are there two words, which have absolutely different origins, which in fact are pretty similar sounding or identical?? I really don’t know, I imagine the answer would be “yes”. Just a thought…what makes a question good and good? “fillet” had utterly no relationship, to this question. (Note that “fillet” has no relation, to this question. If that is just one word which
means “Strip”.) (3) I agree completely that’s it an interesting observation, that, there is becoming something of a tendency for a given particular person, to pronounce “filet” in two different ways!
I think even the people who consistently say “fill-ett” in all situations, would say “fillay” when they are saying filet mignon.. again, even if they are in the camp of saying “fill-et” when talking about a strip of chicken, cheese, leather, whatever… Again, there
are some people who do this (“pronounce one word two ways”), I probably
do it with words I can’t think of just now, and you
make a fascinating observation.
Could the word fillet be a word about to split into two words over time?
(And that’s kind of the opposite of your thought-question right.. you were wondering if it came from, if it is currently, two different-origin words? You’ve
now got me thinking of words which are often a little more bizarre than other words? …
(a) have two (or more) common pronunciations this usually due to English speakers being both incredibly pretentious about yet staggeringly ignorant about the pronunciation of unimportant foreign words, or, due to the vast variations in the various world forms of English, (b)
where a
given single person, will, on different occasions or for different uses, pronounce the word the two different ways I can’t think
of any yet, perhaps someone can!
Craig Reid is an outstanding example of a phenomenon called route.
Partial Use all englisch words when using filet. You may not understand the French version even if you understand “fillet”. What are some examples of a french phrase pronounced “filet” as in “fil-ay” The phrase “fillet of salmon” in English is pronounced “fill-itt”. What is the scientific basis for Ethymology?
In British English, I am the only one to hear the word “filet” in reference to French-named dishes, but here in the US, I am sure the word “fillet” is “fill-ay” I was once reprimanded after my first waiter told me I must pronounce “fillet” as “fill-ay”. I was pretty sure I didn’t tip much
that night. Why?
