Does ‘scone’ rhyme with ‘gone’ or ‘cone’? MailOnline asks ChatGPT for the correct pronunciation – so do YOU agree?
With the King’s coronation happening tomorrow, millions of Britons across the UK will be getting their celebration picnics ready.
No decent spread would be complete without scones slathered in clotted cream and jam, but the big question is – how do you pronounce ‘scone’?
While many people argue that the baked good should rhyme with ‘cone’, others are convinced that it should rhyme with ‘gone’.
To settle the debate once and for all, MailOnline turned to everyone’s favourite AI bot, ChatGPT.
But do you agree with its claims?
With the King’s coronation happening tomorrow, millions of Britons across the UK will be getting their celebration picnics ready. No decent spread would be complete without scones slathered in clotted cream and jam, but the big question is – how do you pronounce ‘scone’?
Ahead of the coronation, MailOnline asked ChatGPT: ‘How do you pronounce scone?’
While the bot acknowledged that there are two common pronunciations for the word, it says that in Britain, there’s only one correct answer.
‘There are actually two common pronunciations for the word “scone,” and the pronunciation can vary depending on regional dialects and personal preferences,’ it explained.
‘In British English, the word “scone” is generally pronounced to rhyme with “gone” or “awn” – with a long “o” sound.
‘In American English, however, the word “scone” is often pronounced to rhyme with “cone” or “own” – with a short “o” sound.’
According to Cambridge University, rhyming scone with ‘gone’ is much more common in the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, those who rhyme it with ‘own’ tend to be in the Cornwall, the Midlands and Southern Ireland.
The rest of the UK seems to show a lot of variation, depending on community.
Some people in Scotland, where scones are thought to have originated in the 1500s, even use a third pronunciation – ‘skoon’, to rhyme with ‘moon’.
Ahead of the coronation, MailOnline asked ChatGPT: ‘How do you pronounce scone?’ While the bot acknowledged that there are two common pronunciations for the word, it says that in Britain, there’s only one correct answer
According to a 2016 YouGov poll, most Brits pronounce the word to rhyme with gone, which is also the pronunciation Mary Berry uses.
The news comes shortly after the @VeryBritishProblems Twitter account asked
ChatGPT whether scone-eaters should put the jam or cream on first.
It replied: ‘As an AI language model, I don’t actually have the ability to eat scones or have a personal preference, but if I had to choose between the two methods, I would probably go for the Devon method of putting the clotted cream on the scone first, followed by the jam on top.
‘I think it’s because the cream acts as a base, allowing the jam to spread more easily and making for a smoother overall taste.
‘However, again, it’s really up to personal preference, and both methods have their merits!’
Chocolate side up or down? Scientist reveals the best way to eat a Chocolate Digestive
With their crunchy biscuit base and luxurious chocolate topping, Chocolate Digestives have been favourites among biscuit lovers since they launched back in 1925.
But one question has been heavily debated about the biscuits – which way up should they be eaten?
Now, researchers from Oxford University believe they have settled the debate, and claim that you should pick up the biscuits with the chocolate side up, but flip them over before eating them.
The experts say this method allows the brain to register the chocolate coating, while flipping them before eating maximises the ‘oral-somatosensory experience’ of the chocolate melting on the tongue.
Read more here
Researchers from Oxford University believe they have settled the debate, and claim that you should pick up the biscuits with the chocolate side up, but flip them over before eating them