Back
1196 days ago

Scone with the Wind: Lower Hutt's best cheese scones

Reporter Community News

Stuff journalist Virginia Fallon checked out scones in Lower Hutt last week.
And how do you pronounce scone?
There are two ways you’ll hear the word said: one rhymes with gone and the other with cone; some insist the latter is the posh way to say it; others urge the former is correct.
Dr Simon Overall, a linguistics lecturer at the University of Otago, pronounces it to rhyme with gone, though says there’s no ‘’correct’’ way to say the word.
“If you look at the way the word is written, you would guess gone, but we have lots of words like that. English spelling gives you clues, but it often misleads,” he said.
“Cambridge University did a dialect survey and asked people do you pronounce it to rhyme with gone or cone, and it's quite noticeable, at least around the British Isles, that in Scotland it’s almost entirely gone.“
England is mostly the same, while the Republic of Ireland is almost the opposite: “It’s really a regional thing. In terms of the way New Zealand was settled you obviously get quite a mix.”
As for whether one pronunciation is posher than the other, the Queen rhymes it with gone. I tell him I almost wish I pronounced it the other way because then this series could be called Game of Scones.

Image
More messages from your neighbours
6 days ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

Image
3 days ago

Moe mai rā, Nicholas.

Justin Wong Reporter from The Post

We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.

Image
3 days ago

Tactile texture

Resene

Welcome texture into your room by using leftover Resene Anaglypta wallpaper to accentuate furniture and décor items. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions. Find out more

Image