• muddi [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Wiktionary is good for the dirty details usually. Looks like it's more complicated than it seems: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/woman#Usage_notes

  • WittyProfileName2 [she/her]
    ·
    1 year ago

    It was originally wifman and over time mutated to women, the I sound is vestigial of the old spelling.

    • SatanicNotMessianic@lemmy.ml
      ·
      1 year ago

      Are the two obviously differentiated like that?

      In most of the American English accents I’m familiar with, they’re pronounced “WI men” and “WŌ man.”

      If I try to sound out using an I in both, the only way they sound different to me is if I move the accent to the final syllable, to mane it stand out. Something like “wi MEN” vs “wi MAN.”

      If so, I’d love to hear where you’re from.

      • Denvil@lemmy.one
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        From Ohio, and they aren't differntiated at all I just pronounce them the same (although I was mistaken about which part of the word the meme was referencing, I still pronounce both with an o/u sound at the beginning)

      • WarmSoda@lemm.ee
        ·
        1 year ago

        Woman... woe-man... whoah, man!
        She was a thief,
        you got to belief,
        she stole my heart and my cat.
        Betty,
        Judy,
        Josie and those hot Pussycats...
        They make me horny,
        Saturday morny. Girls of cartoo-ins. Won't leave me in ruins.
        I want to to be Betty's Barney.

        Hey Jane... get me off this crazy thing... called love.