that you don't pretend to speak Gaelic. If they're going to be annoyed anyway, that's their issue. I'll bet 99.9% of the time "they" don't speak Gaelic, either. I really don't think you are paying attention to my "sherbert" argument... Of course English speakers can pronounce the schwa without rhoticizing it. But they tend not to when producing this word, and that's okay. It's called an ALTERNATE pronunciation. No it's called a mispronunciation. And a misspelling as well. And it's not okay. Your argument is that, for reasons unclear, it's okay to just add sounds to words that aren't there because....why? It is "easier" for challenged English speakers? And why do you even think that is the case? I really think it is nothing more than a lazy confusion with Herbert, or Albert, or any other bert. Laziness or confusion are not usually thought of as perfectly fine reasons to do something. Is it simply an ALTERNATE pronunciation to add a random R to anything, then? Mondrays in Novrember, after Hallorween, I surpose. By that logic, I guess excape, expecially, aminal, alunimum and cinninom are all just ALTERNATE pronunuciations, too? Obviously a lot of people say them that way. You also contradict yourself when you talk about standards as though they are natural laws. How is that contradictory? I haven't said they are just like natural laws, but they are general rules and a lot like social norms -- they have been agreed upon by the closest thing to an