Here it goes...

My daughter who is in kindergarten is learning how to count the number of syllables in words.  Easy, right?  Well, on her test the other day she got one wrong (I am so proud of her for getting 9 right!!!) but the word she got wrong was orange. 

Megan (my daughter) said it had 2 syllables, the teacher says 1.  I agree with my daughter.  Orange has 2. 

According to the teacher, the way you count the number of syllables is to put your hand under your chin and count how many times your chin touches you hand when you say a word.  Megan pronounces the word as Or-Ange (I say it more like Are-ange but that's because I'm from New York) the teacher doesn't even break up the word, she says it like arnge.

So, please tell me that I'm not a total idiot.  :) 

I am disappointed in the quality of education in this country.

It's Or-Ange.  Even my little boy knows to slur the word into two syllables even though he can't break them up just right yet.

I'd say it has two

o - ringe

I'd say it has two

o - ringe


See?  Karen agrees and she invented the language (or at least the Anglofolk there did hehehe). 

The teacher is stupid.  FIRED!

I've honestly never really thought about it. :P

I'd say two, though. I did that chin touch hand thing, and it touched twice.

I'd say it has two

o - ringe

I am disappointed in the quality of education in this country.

It's Or-Ange.  Even my little boy knows to slur the word into two syllables even though he can't break them up just right yet.


Thank you!!

I knew my kid was right.  

I guess the next thing I have to do is get her grade changed.  

It is sooooo two syllables.  You should print this conversation and take it to her stupid ass. 

Thank you!!

I knew my kid was right.  

I guess the next thing I have to do is get her grade changed.  


Well, she did get 9/10 which is an A still :)  But you should tell the teacher to learn to say words right ;)

I've honestly never really thought about it. :P

I'd say two, though. I did that chin touch hand thing, and it touched twice.


I know.  I drove home from her school repeating the word orange over and over.  :D

It's got to be a southern thing. My daughter's gonna fail because she's got a Yankee for a mother. 

Other words that she'll probably get wrong is oil-because people down here say awl and syrup-because they say surp. 

See?  Karen agrees and she invented the language (or at least the Anglofolk there did hehehe). 



Actually i think the French might of had something to do with it.  But I'll take the credit!

I think technically "oil" is one syllable, unless you stretch it out sometimes and go "Oy-il".

"Syrup" is definitely two syllables though.

Just take Webster's or the Oxford dictionary to the school and slap the teacher with it.

If I were a teacher, and was doing a test on syllables, I would pick words that are a little more clear, especially for kindergarteners.  Why in the world was orange on the test in the first place?  It's just stupid.

Well, she did get 9/10 which is an A still :)  But you should tell the teacher to learn to say words right ;)


True, and like I said I'm so proud of her.  She is extremely bright, I just don't want her to get penalized for pronouncing a word differently.

It is sooooo two syllables.  You should print this conversation and take it to her stupid ass. 



I'm sure she'd love to read this!!  ;D

I think technically "oil" is one syllable, unless you stretch it out sometimes and go "Oy-il".

"Syrup" is definitely two syllables though.

Just take Webster's or the Oxford dictionary to the school and slap the teacher with it.


I guess I say it "Oy-il".

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/orange

Even the farking DICTIONARY says two syllables!

I really wonder about some of these teachers...just another example of how it's often the students who do the teaching..

I think the teacher is out numbered and your daughter should get a gold star  :)

The teacher seems to have taken her technique (using your hand and counting etc.) and forgotten that there are actual rules that dictate it besides her own pronunciation.

Orange has two grammatical syllables, end of story. Spoken syllables can vary based on dialect and accent. The fact that this teacher has decided to let her form of spoken syllabification supercede the grammatical form is simply bad practice. Also, as has been said, why would one choose a word like orange for a kindergarten test anyway when such variance between grammatical and spoken syllables can occur? Just not a good question or answer.

Here it goes...

My daughter who is in kindergarten is learning how to count the number of syllables in words.  Easy, right?  Well, on her test the other day she got one wrong (I am so proud of her for getting 9 right!!!) but the word she got wrong was orange. 

Megan (my daughter) said it had 2 syllables, the teacher says 1.  I agree with my daughter.  Orange has 2. 

According to the teacher, the way you count the number of syllables is to put your hand under your chin and count how many times your chin touches you hand when you say a word.  Megan pronounces the word as Or-Ange (I say it more like Are-ange but that's because I'm from New York) the teacher doesn't even break up the word, she says it like arnge.

So, please tell me that I'm not a total idiot.   :) 



Is the teacher a southerner?

Is the teacher a southerner?



It would appear that way. 



I know down here, a lot of words that have two syllables get strung together to give them one, but that's the affectation down here.  It doesn't however, actually change the way the word is pronounced.  Orange has two syllables, and that's the way the teacher should teach it.

Orange is two syllables.. I didn't think anyone questioned that..

Even if you pronounce is "orinj" like that, even the "nj" is its own sound..

I would love to ask this "educator" if she knows how many syllables moron has! She needs a refresher course in linguistics!  ::)

You daughter get 3 snaps in a Z formation and a gold star from Miss Anthrope! ;)

The real answer is that it's regional.  Where'bouts in 'murrica arr ya talkin' 'bout?  West coast, east coast, midwest, deep south, New England, New Yawk, Bawstan?  What's all this aboot in Canada, and wot's all that about in Jolly Olde England?

I can't do inverted letters and proper accents (or I'm too lazy!), but I'll just suggest that

Skwirl, awl, surp, and ornj, have one syllable each.

Skwirr-ul, o-eel, sir-rupp, and or-anj have two syllables each.

Squirrel, oil, syrup, and orange, are... probably a good meal if you brown the squirrel in olive oil before adding a few slices of orange and a dash of maple syrup to your wok at the last possible second before serving.  Wouldn't want to guess as to how many syllables they have in your neck of the woods.  I'd count them all as 2-syllable words, but my pronunciation of "skwerl" and "ornj" could go either way depending on how many beers I've had.

The most fascinating sites on which you'll spend the next hour or two:

http://cfprod01.imt.uwm.edu/Dept/FLL/linguistics/dialect/maps.html
http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/dare/dare.html

All depends on how you pronounce it.  As an excellent 3-hour NOVA documentary on the subject put it: Do You Speak American?

Technically it can be one or two (depending on dialect), but I agree with Windbreaker.....why the heck would she pick a word like orange?  And, why are they learning about this in KINDERGARTEN?  Most 5 year olds have enough trouble simply "sounding out" words without worrying about how many syllables are in them ::)

Technically it can be one or two (depending on dialect), but I agree with Windbreaker.....why the heck would she pick a word like orange?  And, why are they learning about this in KINDERGARTEN?  Most 5 year olds have enough trouble simply "sounding out" words without worrying about how many syllables are in them ::)


Must be advanced kindergarten.

I don't think I could spell syllable in kindergarten, much less ascertain how many of them were in any given word.

I feel 2. So I would smack the teacher upside the head with one. ( ok. just my temper leaking some)  ;D :D :)

Reminds me of when I was at kindergarten. I knew how to say my alphabet before I went but at school they taught it phonetically. The teacher told me I was doing it wrong and I came home all upset so my Mum went and had words!

It has always been orange with two syllables for me.

Technically it can be one or two (depending on dialect), but I agree with Windbreaker.....why the heck would she pick a word like orange?  And, why are they learning about this in KINDERGARTEN?  Most 5 year olds have enough trouble simply "sounding out" words without worrying about how many syllables are in them ::)



Must be advanced kindergarten.


If it's based on dialect she shouldn't have gotten it wrong.   :-\\

Kindergarten iss much different these days.  When I was a kid we mostly sang songs, colored and learned the alphabet.

My daughter is already learning math, history, and is reading 1st grade books.

If it's based on dialect she shouldn't have gotten it wrong.   :-\\

Kindergarten iss much different these days.  When I was a kid we mostly sang songs, colored and learned the alphabet.

My daughter is already learning math, history, and is reading 1st grade books.


I know!  All I can remember doing is coloring, eating graham crackers, and taking naps.  Our state house just passed a bill to make Kindergarten go all day instead of half-day.  It now has to go to the senate.  I'm really hoping it won't go through - why can't we just let them be little for a while?

I know!  All I can remember doing is coloring, eating graham crackers, and taking naps.  Our state house just passed a bill to make Kindergarten go all day instead of half-day.  It now has to go to the senate.  I'm really hoping it won't go through - why can't we just let them be little for a while?


My daughter goes a full day.

Even the pre-k classes at her school go all day. :o

My daughter goes a full day.

Even the pre-k classes at her school go all day. :o


That makes me sad.  Kids grow up way too fast these days. 


And they have stupid teachers who can't pronounce the word orange...  ;D

That makes me sad.  Kids grow up way too fast these days. 


And they have stupid teachers who can't pronounce the word orange...   ;D


I know what you mean.  :(

;D ;D

My husband says I should just drop it and stop worrying about it.

I know what you mean.   :(

;D ;D

My husband says I should just drop it and stop worrying about it.


That is soooo something a husband would say.  ::) You stick to your guns, sister!

That is soooo something a husband would say.   ::) You stick to your guns, sister!

I know what you mean.  ;D
I'm not going to make a big deal or embarrass the teacher over it but I just want my kid to get the grade she deserves.