MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GU1999]

I am sure that the league has brand standards that are dispositive on the pronunciation of the league name.  I do not see them on the site though.

So in the absence of official brand standards, I consider the acronym SLIAC synonymously with an actual word for pronunciation purposes. This matches up with my historical understand that at Greenville, it used to (and may still be with old timers be pronounced "SL(long I) - ac". We also used to cut it up into two syllables after the "I", which seems to match up with basic phonics rule #9.  I know if your are trying to apply the "two vowels go a walking, the first one does the talkin'" rule you would be thrown off the scent, because no one really cuts their pronunciation this acronym after the fourth letter.

Phonics Rules:

The vowels are "a,e,i,o, and u"; also sometimes "y" & "w". This also includes the diphthongs "oi,oy,ou,ow,au,aw, oo" and many others.
The consonants are all the other letters which stop or limit the flow of air from the throat in speech. They are: "b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,qu,r,s,t,v,w,x,y,z,ch,sh,th,ph,wh, ng, and gh".

1. Sometimes the rules don't work.
There are many exceptions in English because of the vastness of the language and the many languages from which it has borrowed. The rules do work however, in the majority of the words.

2. Every syllable in every word must have a vowel.
English is a "vocal" language; Every word must have a vowel.

3. "C" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of "s". Examples: "cyst", "central", and "city".

4. "G" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of "j". Example: "gem", "gym", and "gist".

5. When 2 consonants are joined together and form one new sound, they are a consonant digraph. They count as one sound and one letter and are never separated. Examples: "ch,sh,th,ph and wh".

6. When a syllable ends in a consonant and has only one vowel, that vowel is short. Examples: "fat, bed, fish, spot, luck".

7. When a syllable ends in a silent "e", the silent "e" is a signal that the vowel in front of it is long. Examples: "make, gene, kite, rope, and use".

8. When a syllable has 2 vowels together, the first vowel is usually long and the second is silent. Examples: "pain, eat, boat, res/cue, say, grow". NOTE: Diphthongs don't follow this rule; In a diphthong, the vowels blend together to create a single new sound. The diphthongs are: "oi,oy,ou,ow,au,aw, oo" and many others.

9. When a syllable ends in any vowel and is the only vowel, that vowel is usually long. Examples: "pa/per, me, I, o/pen, u/nit, and my".

10. When a vowel is followed by an "r" in the same syllable, that vowel is "r-controlled". It is not long nor short. "R-controlled "er,ir,and ur" often sound the same (like "er"). Examples: "term, sir, fir, fur, far, for, su/gar, or/der".

Related question, do the kids still learn phonics, or has SLIAC simply been added to the sight word list these days.  I think that Rule #9 is particularly applicable in this instance.  But as you will see Rule #1 is that English language is WIERD and there are circumstances where the rules do not apply.   

[gordonmann]

Related question, do the kids still learn phonics, or has SLIAC simply been added to the sight word list these days.

My daughter just started kindergarten which is virtual three days a week. She sits in my office (which is also my bedroom) and I get to hear her reading lessons throughout the week.

They learn phonics and use sight words, which is a new concept to me. When I tell my daughter to "sound it out" (which is what they told me 35 years ago), she looks at me funny. The students chant things like B - bat - buh, and now it's stuck in my head, too. It seems to work. She's making good progress.

[Gregory Sager]

As far as I am concerned, it has been settled...

Ha! Where did you dig up that old picture of Bill Laimbeer?

[Gregory Sager]

9. When a syllable ends in any vowel and is the only vowel, that vowel is usually long. Examples: "pa/per, me, I, o/pen, u/nit, and my".

That tells us nothing about the proper pronunciation of the league's acronym, though, since in one case the pronunciation of the first syllable's vowel is a long 'e' ("slee") and in the other the first syllable's vowel is a long 'i' ("sly").

[GU1999]

So...

SLEAC = (SLē - ak)

SLIAC = (SLī - ak)

[jaybird44]

Hello SLIAC friends!

It seems that I have been the only member of the only (unofficial) fall sport at WashU, with my 100-mile ultramarathon attempt earlier this month to promote the fight for a cure during Rett Syndrome Awareness Month.  That attempt fell a bit short in miles and fundraising, so I'm going into overtime to try and reach $5,000 in donations.

Rett Gets Rocked 50K for $5K will commence Friday, October 30 at 8 pm Central, and end at 8 am Halloween morning.  Counting donations received (thanks to retired WashU men's basketball coach Mark Edwards and his wife Mary, and to Mike McGrath and his  University of Chicago men's basketball program for their donations!) and those yet to be sent and processed, I am at $4,440.53.  Very, very close to my goal...which will fund a researcher's work for a month.  Wouldn't it be cool if he or she cracked the code for a cure of Rett syndrome, on our dime?!

I reached 86 miles in my "Rett Gets Rocked Virtual Ultra Weekend" October 3-4.  I'm very proud of that result, but there's more work to be done.  Proceeds from the event will be split between Rettsyndrome.org (the only national organization spearheading research and providing resources for affected patients and their families) and the Rett Spectrum Clinic--a collaboration between the WashU School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Rett syndrome is a rare, non-inherited neurological disorder that is caused by a gene mutation in the brain.  Rett strikes typically when a child is 6-18 months old, and it has the characteristics of ALS, autism, epilepsy, and Parkinson's...all rolled into one sinister disorder.
It takes away the child's ability to move and communicate.  Most of them end up in wheelchairs with active minds, but mired in the physical rubble that Rett creates.  And, the neurological damage prevents verbal communication and arm and hand movement for sign language.

In essence, Rett does to a child what Lucy in the "Peanuts" comic strip does to Charlie Brown when he tries to kick the football that she is holding.  The only difference is that Charlie Brown can get back up to try again.  Those who are afflicted with Rett syndrome don't get another chance to enjoy a vibrant life.

Researchers are working to re-engineer the gene mutation that turns on Rett, so it can be forever turned off.  Four drug therapies are in the FDA review pipeline, with one (trofanitide) one level away from review.  And, iPad tablets with retinal scan technology are giving those with Rett a voice they haven't had since they were toddlers.

The full court press on Rett is paying off.  You can help keep the pressure on Rett, by going to my Rett Racers donation page:  https://rettracer.everydayhero.com/us/rett-gets-rocked-2020

Thanks for your time and consideration, and let's hope that we get back to playing and broadcasting sports much sooner than later!

Jay Murry
Play-By-Play Announcer, Washington University in St. Louis
Event Director, Rett Gets Rocked 50K for $5K

[Gregory Sager]

So...

SLEAC = (SLē - ak)

SLIAC = (SLī - ak)

Spelling =/= pronunciation. A long vowel is a long vowel, no matter how it's spelled.

[Caz Bombers]

I've always said Sly-Ac, Why-Ac, My-Ac, Sky-ac, Gl-I-ac

[WUPHF]

#WhyD3 LOL

[Gregory Sager]

Coming next week: D3 basketball fans debate the proposition that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

[GU1999]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci9jfMvoLb4

[Gregory Sager]

That Simpsons clip never fails to crack me up.

[y_jack_lok]

So...

SLEAC = (SLē - ak)

SLIAC = (SLī - ak)

Spelling =/= pronunciation. A long vowel is a long vowel, no matter how it's spelled.

Just thought I'd have a little fun and add to the confusion. SLIAC isn't a word, it's an acronym. So think about the pronunciation of the "I" in "Intercollegiate". Where does that take the discussion?

[GU1999]

The acronym issue is a real one.  I noted same in my first post about phonics.  That said, gotta apply something when you blend the letters.  Could always do it like the C.C.I.W. Or should I say the c-cew.

[y_jack_lok]

The acronym issue is a real one.  I noted same in my first post about phonics.  That said, gotta apply something when you blend the letters.  Could always do it like the C.C.I.W. Or should I say the c-cew.

Your observation that SLIAC is an acronym that essentially functions as a word and therefore falls under rule #9 makes sense. When I started reading that post days ago my head was spinning and I couldn't process it all, so I kind of just gave up.