Well, I came to the good ole USA in college where I met and married the man of my dreams. As sometimes happens, I graduated before he did, so I was his sugar momma for two years! (But, it wasn't all that sweet - we lived off of a teacher's salary! He, he!)
Anyway, the point of this story is that I lead my poor first graders astray . . .
It was a Monday morning and we began our spelling list for the week. At our school it's introduced as a test to get the students thinking about the spelling. Well, one of the sight words (meaning it's not spelled the way it sounds, it does not follow the rules!) was the word "been." Okay. Pretty simple.
Well, when I introduced this work and even put it in a sentence, "have you ever BEEN to the movies?" there was nothing but confusion on my poor student's faces. No pencils were hurriedly scribbling this new word. No one moved. I was beginning to wonder what was happening when one brave little six-year-old raised his hand and boldly stated, "I don't know that word!"
It's true, too. He did not know that word. No one in the room did because I grew up pronouncing it the same way you pronounce the word BEAN!!! So I had said, "BEAN. Have you ever BEAN to the movies?" No! What does that even mean???
Well, we took that word off the list and tried it again the next week. I spoke with my director and sure enough, you crazy Americans pronounce it BIN. (Don't be offended. I too am a crazy American who pronounces it the SAME way now!) Have you ever BIN to the movies? Ahh, much better!
