to these entries that are just plain incorrect (such as the false etymology of the word "Halloween"), many of the other entries fail to take into account legitimate alternate pronounciations resulting from regional dialects and the like. Overall, this is a pretty poor article, pompous and ignorant. venqax on December 3, 2011 7:23 pm Well, jon, as many entries have also noted -- and as the entire topic and premise of the post indicates -- we are not talking about "regional dialects". We are talking about a STANDARD NON-DIALECTAL American English (for the most part, it is American that is presented here, not some other national standard). That, is THE POINT. Why do we have to go over that, repeatedly, redundantly, again, and again and again? "Alternate"pronunciations are very, very rare. And "regional dialects and the like" (by the like I guess you mean sub-standard speech that is other than regional) are NOT THE TOPIC AT HAND. Is there something about being against liinguistic standards that also precludes reading comprehension? I just have to ask, pardon being pompous, because it keeps happening over and over and over. Can't you tell the DIFFERENCE between "regionalisms" and "dialects" and standard speech? At least in some sense? MOST of the time it really is not difficult. Maybe in your dialect you say "punkin". Fine. The WORD is actually "pumpkin". The end. You can say punkin wherever and when ever you want to. "Devaite" from the norm all you want. You are also welcome