Decal pronunciation

prisoner_1079 · Post by **prisoner_1079** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:55 pm

I've seen two videos recently where the builders are pronouncing the word 'decal' different than how I learned it as a kid, just wondering how you all pronounce this word. Do you pronounce it Dee-Cal or Deck-ull?

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Both ways are correct, or wrong. Depending on where you live. I say Deck-ull.

Marco Scheloske · Post by **Marco Scheloske** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:28 pm

I say "Dee-Cal".

Sounds better than "Wasserschiebebild" (water slide picture), the correct german term for it.

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:16 pm

So far every time I've see a video with someone saying "deck-ull" they turn out to be from Canada. Videos (that I've seen) from Europe, the US, and even Asia, all say "dee-cal."

The last time this was brought up someone posted an explanation of the pronunciation, but I have long forgotten what that was.

The lesson: If you're ever talking to someone from Canada pretending to be from the US (which would normally be fairly easy), just ask them to talk about model kits.

Of course why anyone would want to pretend to be from here is a whole other issue.

-Rog

eeun · Post by **eeun** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:43 pm

Rogviler wrote:So far every time I've see a video with someone saying "deck-ull" they turn out to be from Canada.

Ask us about soldering, too!

(sodder, for Canadians; not sol-durr, or soldier, or however Johnny Foreigner pronounces it.

)

TheMilkmanCometh · Post by **TheMilkmanCometh** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:05 pm

And then there's "de-CAL".

tonyG2 · Post by **tonyG2** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:35 pm

From the UK and I say Deck-ull....

Then again, I was born in Canada

DaveVan · Post by **DaveVan** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:54 pm

However you say it.....it's short for Decalcomania, a process invented in England. I say DE-CAL because since I built my first model almost 50 years ago that's what it was called. But the folks in the UK invented it.....so.....

Underlord · Post by **Underlord** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:56 pm

I'm from southern New England in the US, and I've always said it just like dictionary.com says it... abet, not with an intellectually sexy female voice. I have my wife for that!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/decal

I understand it when people say it different ways. It just goes to show that many people are book-smart or learned from other people who say things differently.

Interestingly enough, the longer form sounds more like deck-ull in the beginning! *sigh*
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Decalcomania

You say toe-may-toe, I say toe-mot-toe

... but I actually just say tomato.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:01 am

tonyG2 wrote:From the UK and I say Deck-ull....

Then again, I was born in Canada

Me too (both pronunciation and being born in Canada). However, a lot of brits call them 'transfers' thus getting around the pronunciation issue.

scratchy · Post by **scratchy** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 11:35 am

It's "Deck-ull" .... Eh!

LiebeVision · Post by **LiebeVision** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:07 pm

I have the strangest feeling of deja vu with this thread.

Didn't we go over this a while back...?

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:48 pm

DEE-CAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

MillenniumFalsehood · Post by **MillenniumFalsehood** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:54 am

I've always pronounced it dee-cal, and probably always will.

face · Post by **face** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 3:58 pm

I get this all the time on my youtube channel, to the point that I've grown rather weary of explaining it... I'm trying to train myself to refer to them as markings, but it's slow progress

TazMan2000 · Post by **TazMan2000** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:51 pm

Isn't the vowel "A" after the consonant "C", cause the vowel "E" to have a long sound? Following the rules of proper English of course...but there are always exceptions to a rule...especially in the English language.

TazMan2000

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:30 am

TazMan2000 wrote:Isn't the vowel "A" after the consonant "C", cause the vowel "E" to have a long sound? Following the rules of proper English of course...but there are always exceptions to a rule...especially in the English language.

TazMan2000

Not quite... It sort of depends on the word itself. If the "de-" bit is a prefix to the root, then it will general be pronounced "dee", as in decamp, decant. However, if the word is not modified by a prefix, then it will normally be pronounced with a short "e" as in decade, decadent. Of course, decal is short for decalcomaie, which itself is an anglisisation of a French word which they would pronounce d'cal or deckal.

Being born a Canadian, brought up in southern England, worked most of my life in the English Midlands and lived the last six years in Lowlands Scotland, I doubt I ever pronounce decal the same way twice.

At least I don't call them "deckles".

LiebeVision · Post by **LiebeVision** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:08 am

Seriously didn't w just do this thread in like november/december? I'm having this HUGE deja vu feeling with this one.....

Like word for word.

prisoner_1079 · Post by **prisoner_1079** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:24 pm

I came back to modeling in February, pardon me, sir.

Malcolm M · Post by **Malcolm M** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:49 pm

I say Deck-ull, I'm from the UK.

However my American wife pronounces it Dee-Cal

And it's soLder not sodder there is an L in there gentlemen

This one drives my wife crazy, whenever she's around I make sure to pronounce it "SoLLLder"

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Decal pronunciation

Decal pronunciation

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