Calking: ˈkȯr-kiŋ or ˈkȯ-kiŋ?

[simonsonbondz]

Sound Experience, the non-profit that operates the schooner Adventuress, published this video about the pronunciation of "calking."

Calking: ˈkȯr-kiŋ or ˈkȯ-kiŋ? (http://www.youtube.com/user/schooneradventuress#p/a/u/0/2Knn6oe9zHw)

I'm interested in hearing people's feedback on a couple of things:
1.) Do you know the origin of the term?
2.) How do you spell it (i.e. with or without a "U")?
3.) I've heard that the pronunciation "korking" is a West Coast thing, are their any East-Coasters on here who say "korking?"

Looking forward to your comments!

[Bobcat]

Corking is west coast. Just like loggers wearing "corked boots."

Don't know about the east coast

[mmd]

Ain't no 'r' in 'caulking'...

caul- as in maul or Paul;

-king as in ping or sing.

Softly on the 'l', tho'...

[Bobcat]

Ain't no 'r' in 'caulking'...

caul- as in maul or Paul;

-king as in ping or sing.

Softly on the 'l', tho'...

Maybe on your coast,

but here in Warshington...

[mmd]

Yeah, but too much rain on your brain has addled your speech patterns... <wink, grin>

[Bobcat]

Yeah, but too much rain on your brain has addled your speech patterns... <wink, grin>

Actually, I am a second generation native and have never put an "r" in Washington, but lots of people do.

And on our waterfront, it's corking and logging caulked boots are pronounced corked boots

It's just one of those things.

[Candyfloss]

From the Concise English Dictionary:

"Caulk, calk (kawk). [Preferred spelling, alternate spelling (pronunciation)]

(Naut.) To stuff the seams (of a ship) with oakum."

This Kiwi would pronounce it "kawking", and spell it caulking.

[mmd]

Yeah, I know. Around my neck of the woods if someone told you to stay by your car to open the door when needed, it would sound something like, "Yeo stay ovah they-ah by yow caah an' open th' dowah whin I git they-ah."

Seperated by a common language, eh? <grin>

[paladin]

San Francisco waterfront speak "corkin' "

[ron ll]

Yup. We cork our boats with cotton. My dad was a logger a while and he wore cork boots and tin pants.

[Bobcat]

Yeah, I know. Around my neck of the woods if someone told you to stay by your car to open the door when needed, it would sound something like, "Yeo stay ovah they-ah by yow caah an' open th' dowah whin I git they-ah."

Seperated by a common language, eh? <grin>


Clearly all the "r"s you're not using migrated to the West Coast

[S B]

Kawk er wit ah kark'n iron. Spoken in less than one second.

[Lucky Luke]

Us, froggies, only "cork" bottles of wine.
English people definitely say "caulking"....but Ozzie, Kiwis and Yankees all have real funny way to (pretend to) speak english:rolleyes:
Reminds me (many...:o) years ago, when I was a student, we did receive some students from Texas in our campus. One came out of the showers and said something like: "ainn go o'war"....:confused:
Took me a while to understand that it had nothing to do with being a conscript for the Vietnam war, but that there was shortage of hot water......!!!:D

[peter radclyffe]

Us, froggies, only "cork" bottles of wine.
English people definitely say "caulking"....but Ozzie, Kiwis and Yankees all have real funny way to (pretend to) speak english:rolleyes:
Reminds me (many...:o) years ago, when I was a student, we did receive some students from Texas in our campus. One came out of the showers and said something like: "ainn go o'war"....:confused:
Took me a while to understand that it had nothing to do with being a conscript for the Vietnam war, but that there was shortage of hot water......!!!:D
http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif

[nedL]

On the Jersey shore & surrounding areas, definately 'caulking', As Mike says

"Ain't no 'r' in 'caulking'...

caul- as in maul or Paul;

-king as in ping or sing.

Softly on the 'l', tho'..."

[Rukk]

Caulking is a perfectly valid term, it involves goop that comes in a tube and you squeeze out with a gun.

Corking is the thing with the oakum and irons and hammers. ;)

[boattruck]

'Cawking' is the common usage currently here in the San Fran Bay, I'f you put an 'r' in there, you are from up north...Cheers, BT

[bruce w]

i caulk a boat seam , and a calking is a heel on a horse shoe to prevent slipping and provided a grip .

[Bob Smalser]

The corked boots are the pair in the middle.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3389779/292562174.jpg

[ron ll]

The corked boots are the pair in the middle.



Got any tin pants?

[Bob Smalser]

Got any tin pants?

The tin pants are the the middle, between the two tin coats.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3389779/292562170.jpg

[Candyfloss]

Obviously we are divided by more than a common language.

Here's what Kiwis mean by Hunt Club.

http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL458/12377907/23013101/385429564.jpg

What do you mean?

In NZ the horsey set are predominantly female. And I understand they don't hunt animals, just a scent trail.

[simonsonbondz]

Thanks everyone. This has been great!

[ron ll]

So in conclusion it is only in the NW where the "r" in caulking is NOT silent?

Many years ago I was told that the NW was the only place a glass of beer was called a schooner. Found that not exactly true.

[MarkH]

'caulking' as described above when viewed from afar

in my experience pre-fixed by any number of expletives when viewed up close with a mallet and iron in your hands

[Jay Greer]

Hawaiian speak for caulking is "you plug him up da kine"
Jay

[Tom Jackson]

"Corking" is definitely a west coast usage, and it has only come into vogue in fairly recent years, like the last 20 or so. It seems to have migrated over from loggers' "cork" boots, or maybe up from California.

But as long as I have known, even those who pronounced "cork" boots would still spell it "caulk." Even the waitresses at the Logger Tavern in Knappa knew enough to put up signs in the door saying "No caulks," no matter how the word was pronounced.

[John B]

have never put an "r" in Washington

how do you do that.. Roshington?

[Michael Beckman]

Warsh.

It gets annoying fast.

I've always pronounced it caulking, not corking. I guess some east coasters got to me first.