Is it FIL'-ET or is it FI-LAY' ? Grumble survey 12/2005

Is it FIL'-ET or is it FI-LAY' ? Grumble survey 12/2005


  • Total voters
    134

Mike Labbe

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December 2005 FILLET POLL

There has been some controversy in the framing world regarding the correct pronounciation of the term FILLET. This lighthearted December poll attempts to solve the mystery, once and for all.

How do YOU prounce the word FILLET?

a) FIL'-ET
b) FI-LAY'

Note: This is for entertainment purposes only.

Results from previous polls: http://www.custompictureframing.com/poll_results.htm
 
Fun!! Fillets. I have had a vendor's employee call the "reveal" on a double mat board a fillet. Duh?!?

Roz
 
Just to complicate things:

"filet" with a single "L", pronounced "fi-lay", is the American way of pronouncing the word for a cut of steak, fish, etc. However in England a filet steak is usually pronounced "fil-et"

In framing, "fillet" with a double "L" is correctly pronounced "fil-et".
 
I have a very sharp knife, narrow, long blade with quite the point to it that I use to take fil -ehs (Canadian you know) off of the occasional fish that I catch when I am so lucky as to get out and go,,,,,,,fishing that is!

And I have never heard a Macdonalds add call them a fil lit of fish!


James
 
Actually, to solve it once and for all, try looking it up in a dictionary. There is "fillet" and then there is "filet".

Notice the difference??

So.. based on what the dictionary states:

Fillet is pronounced fillet.

Filet is pronounced filay.

Thus there is actually no controversy, just right and wrong.

Fillet = right

Filay = wrong.
 
Don't be so sure about that


It also gives the alternate pronounciation.
 
In the glossary on my web site, I have both pronunciations with an explanation:

fil-lay – the snobby European version

Fill-êt – The American trailer park trash version.
 
fil-lay – the snobby European version
More an American supposition rather than a true representation of the European English pronunciation!

The vast majority of folks in England would pronounce filet as "fil let" not "fil-lay".

And I have never heard a Macdonalds add call them a fil lit of fish!
But go to a McDonald's in England and they will indeed be called a "fil let" of fish!

And by the way, McDonald's in England has a different taste to here in the States! Even some different products.
 
Because without it the mat opening is too large, its a fill it.
 
You missed the third way to pronounce it. The way I say it is:

fil-et' - with the accent on the second syllable.
 
And but for a few indians more, and a few germans less, about 300 years ago..

it would be pronounce with a german accent and that little tiny word would have turned into:

"Birkenholz-Zierstriefen an der inneren-Sichtlinie des Montages"
 
Years ago, my framing teacher, who was French and a well-known framer, said it was pronounced fil-lay, as in "tiny bones", (tiny frame bones). I've never been able to call it a fill-et without thinking of him saying that.
 
Originally posted by bren:
I am the founding and sole member of the Lucius Malfoy School of Picture Framing which requires the "fill-it" pronunciation.
='.'=
Must be a h3ll of a framing school! The classes may be well taught, but I'd hate to see the punishment for an overcut! CRUCIO!!!!
 
Originally posted by Roz:
Fun!! Fillets. I have had a vendor's employee call the "reveal" on a double mat board a fillet. Duh?!?

Roz
I've worked with a few different people who use "fillet" that way. All of them are folks who started in the business a few years before I did.
 
Fil-et on everyday of the week except Friday...

Then it's fil-ay!

Dave Makielski
 
How about a survey on how the word foyer is pronounced.

Personally I don't think words from other languages should be abused by mispronunciation, adaptation by adding leters and finally accepted as an english word which means nothing more than "I don't know how to pronounce it." Why don't we just use an english word rather than trying to change the other language.
 
Personally I don't think words from other languages should be abused by mispronunciation, adaptation by adding leters and finally accepted as an english word which means nothing more than "I don't know how to pronounce it." Why don't we just use an english word rather than trying to change the other language.
This flies in the face of some basics of linguistics. Borrowing words from other languages and slowly adapting them over time to fit your own language is a time-honored and natural process. The only major language that doesn't do it is French, and that's only because they have their own language Gestapo set up to maintain the Gallic purity of the language.

This borrowing of words has been going on since Man learned how to talk. Here are some words that you would have to do without if this didn't occur:

Shampoo, chaparral, caucus, ketchup, potato, sofa, boondocks, slogan, garbage, cattle, hotel, hospital, kindergarten, puny, curmudgeon, chowder, bankrupt, breeze, moose, racoon, hammock, barbecue, hickory.

And those are words that have entered our language just in the last few hundred years.
 
I've had heated arguments with employees over this in the past. They could call it whatever they liked, but wanted me to know THEY were correct and all employees should use fil-lay. They don't work here anymore, but I feel like printing this poll and mailing it to them. Unfortunately, that may be viewed as a bit strange.
 
Originally posted by Bob Doyle:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by bren:
I am the founding and sole member of the Lucius Malfoy School of Picture Framing which requires the "fill-it" pronunciation.
='.'=
Must be a h3ll of a framing school! The classes may be well taught, but I'd hate to see the punishment for an overcut! CRUCIO!!!! </font>[/QUOTE]LOL :D :D
 
Why don't we just use an english word rather than trying to change the other language.
I agree, Jeff. Henceforth and forever more, the foreign word, “Fillet” will be referred to by North American picture framers as a “Wreltney”.

I have spoken: it is <u>law</u>!
 
Hey Bill I love the new term and will implement it starting today.

Someone contact Websters so it can be included in the next revision.
 
My small school will now allow one other method of referring to fillets. "Flat moulding," in reference to the flat backs of these mouldings will henceforth be allowed as a Malfoian snub on that wretched "wreltney"!
Additionally, the punishments at my "school" are rather mild really, unless you recall that I am the sum total of both teachers and students.
This forum has recently become a lively and engaging part of my curriculum. The contributors have my haughty gratitude.
='.'=
 
Potaaaato
Potahhhto
Tomaaaato
Tomahhhto


-Mike.
 
Well, when things are really lean I go around lookin for flat-meat, but I've never heard of flat-moulding!
 
Not bad for a day
 
Originally posted by Bob Doyle:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by bren:
I am the founding and sole member of the Lucius Malfoy School of Picture Framing which requires the "fill-it" pronunciation.
='.'=
Must be a h3ll of a framing school! The classes may be well taught, but I'd hate to see the punishment for an overcut! CRUCIO!!!! </font>[/QUOTE]Am I a huge megadork because I actually laughed at that?
 
Uh, you say tomato, I say Tomahto...let's call the whole thing off...

Canton Joe
 
here in the UK we have:-
Fillet of fish
Fillet steak
Wooden Fillet
And many other Fillets.
Depending on local accents it may be pronounced fill-it or fill-et but it would be difficult to tell the difference.
I have never seen it spelt filet or heard it pronounced filay.
 
FILLET
fil-lit (fil'-it; n. 6, usually fi-la')

n.
1. a narrow band, ribbon, or the like, worn
around the head to keep the hair in place
or as an ornament.

2. a narrow band or strip of metal or other
material.

3. any kind of strip used for binding anything.

4. Bookbinding.
a. a decorative line impressed upon the
cover of a book.
b. a rolling tool used to make such lines.

5. Architecture.
a. a narrow, flat band or strip of any
material, especially a plane molding
often used between curved moldings.
b. one of the flat vertical strips between
flutes on the shaft of a column.

6. a. a thin slice of fish or meat without
bones or fat; filet.
b. a heavy slice of lean beef, mutton,
etc., cooked especially by broiling.
c. a long, flat piece of lean meat rolled
up and tied, cooked especially by roasting.

7. Anatomy. a band of fibers, lemniscus.

8. a raised rim or edge, especially around the
muzzle of a gun.

9. Heraldry. a horizontal portion of an
escutcheon, equal to one fourth of the
chief, of which it is the lowest part.

<Old French, filet diminutive < fil, thread < Latin, filum

'nuf said?
 
Originally posted by Wendolene:

'nuf said?
<font size=3>Nope!</font>

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Main Entry: fil·let
Variant(s): also fi·let (so there, Mick!) ;)
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English filet, from Middle French, diminutive of fil thread
Just to clarify the official pronounciation, try these links:

the right way
the other right way


That settles it! … “wreltney” it is!
 
Despite "the right way" & "the wrong way" I see this as a simple choice between french and english pronunciation, and in this case I side with the english. Besides, it's an unbelievable opportunity to be way smarter than everybody else, by KNOWING the french way, but knowing also that the Brits refuse this pronunciation due to whatever purely mysterious reasons, having nothing to do with stubbornness. And neither am I stubborn.
='.'=
 
Bill,
Try a good English dictionary of English,either the Oxford Or Cambridge, and look up both spellings.


Bren we just hate the French
Been like that since they first crossed the English Channel.
 
Purely as a matter of interest, if one asked an American fishmonger to remove the bones from a fish, would he 'fil-et' it or 'fil-ay' it?
Paul, he’d probably look at you funny and say, “What, you want this thing de-boned?”
 
From the Oxford English Dictionary UK

fillet
• noun 1 a fleshy boneless piece of meat from near the loins or the ribs of an animal. 2 a boned side of a fish. 3 a band or ribbon binding the hair. 4 Architecture a narrow flat band separating two mouldings.
• verb (filleted, filleting) 1 remove the bones from (a fish). 2 cut into fillets.
— ORIGIN Old French filet ‘thread’, from Latin filum.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fillet?view=uk

filet mignon
/feelay meenyon/

• noun a small tender piece of beef from the end of the undercut.

— ORIGIN French, ‘dainty fillet’.
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/filetmignon


Fillay or Filay dosent appear in the Oxford English Dictionary UK
 
I dunno, Lee, Stubby, the FilletMaster, seems to have pretty good luck with halibut. (Maybe he’s using the Height Extender Kit – #09-102).

For starting this thread, I think we should all e-mail Mike Labbe a virus.
 
I have to admit, i'm sitting here chuckling at some of the responses.

This has been fun. Who needs technology surveys!

Mike

PS: Thanks on the generous offer, but I don't need your virus
 
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