The word coupon is NOT pronounced with a "Q" sound. The word is koo-pon, not q-pon. There's no "Q" anywhere near it. It's coup and is pronounced in the same was as the French word; the noise that a dove makes. In fact, the word has it's origins in the French word, coup and therefore, beyond the fact it's spelled that way and should be pronounced as such, but it actually COMES FROM that word and should be pronounced as such.
Coup has had a rich development in French, gaining numerous senses, participating in numerous phrases, such as coup d'état,) and giving rise to many derivatives, including couper, “to divide with a blow or stroke, to cut.” Couper yielded the word coupon, “a portion that is cut off,” which came to refer to a certificate that was detachable from a principal certificate. The detachable certificate could be exchanged for interest or dividend payments by the holder of the principal certificate. Coupon is first recorded in English in 1822 with this sense and then came to apply to forms or tickets, detachable or otherwise, that could be exchanged for various benefits or used to request information.
You sound like a damned idiot when you say it Q-pon. And now that you know better, stop butchering the word and pronounce it like it's meant to be said! Oh and by the way, if you have a commerical on national tv, try not to sound like a dumbass - make your voice over actor pronounce things properly or people will associate stupidity with your business.
/off soapbox.
~ flowers bloom near Memory and Dream
at 3/2/2004 02:51:50 PM ~
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