I stand corrected.
Several New Zealanders chimed in overnight to tell me that in their part of the world “scone” is indeed pronounced as that which rhymes with “gone”. Reader Bronwyn (I love that name) says:
Actually, scone rhymes with gone in a great deal of the English speaking part of the world. I.e., New Zealand and Australia, and all of the English people I know. The only people I have known to rhyme it with bone have been a very few “trying to be posh and failing miserably” people in my childhood – the sort of people who would drink their tea with their little finger sticking out.
It’s my recollection that in Devon (England) where I once lived, people pronounced it like “bone”, but I wouldn’t swear to that. Does anyone else get the sneaking suspicion that I’m well behind the 8 ball with this particular project?
Hmm. For what it’s worth, my mother – who was born and raised in London – pronounces it to rhyme with “bone”. But the subtleties of British pronunciation are infinite, so I’m not sure that means much. I can’t say that I remember how my grandfather (a working-class Londoner – my mum and her sister were the first from the family to go to university) pronounced it.
Good to know, Jane. I thought remembered people down in Devonshire using the same pronunciation. Glad to know I’m not totally crazy!
– Joe