B'ings: Comptroller/Controller

 

            Hey, all, and thanks for reading! I’m Tim Cubbin, and I’m here to be opinionated. Now, who’s been to one of my B’ings? If the answer’s no, think about a type of complaining, fill in a few letters and… B’ING!

            So if you’re here right now, you probably have an idea of what’s coming? If the answer’s no, I don’t know what to think. You saw I put in two words: “comptroller” and “controller.” Now, let’s get into why I’m doing a B’ing on these two words. People familiar with United States government have probably heard of a comptroller. And if you’ve seen political advertisements in the United States in preparation, you’ll hear it pronounced “controller.” Let’s start with a definition of comptroller. According to dictionary.com, a “comptroller” is a… whoa, whoa, whoa right there! A comptroller is a “controller?” So what’s a “controller?” “an employee, often an officer, of a business firm who checks expenditures, finances, etc.” And on top of that, a “comptroller” is pronounced “kuhn-troh-ler?” Okay, I have a bachelor’s degree in English. If a word has an “mp” shouldn’t it be pronounced “komp-troh-ler?” It’s literally taking the “mp” and replacing it with an “n.” And “mp” does not have any reason to sound like “n.” So you literally listen to a commercial and see “comptroller” written on the screen, but the narrator says “controller.” THERE’S NO REASON FOR THAT!

            When I hear the word “controller,” it kind of creeps me out. It kind of sounds like a government official is “controlling” me. What if I don’t WANT to be controlled by a government official? What, I have to do everything the controller says or I get thrown in jail? “Controller” sounds like a super villain name.  My regulars will know I LOVE Marvel comics, and ironically, there IS, IN FACT, a super villain called the “Controller.” He’s a mind manipulator who can make people do whatever he wants a person to do. I don’t want to think of a government official doing that to me? I don’t know about you? And let’s discuss a point here. I have my opinion, you have your opinion, this piece is MY opinion, you don’t have to agree with me on this, think however you want at this. But we have a government official who’s a super villain. Well, to be fair, it’s happened before, but let’s not make this about heavy politics and just focus on the words. Controller. Comptroller. They’re clearly not SPELLED the same, but they’re PRONOUNCED the same, and mean the same as each other. I’m just saying I’m more comfortable with a comptroller than a controller, but however you feel, it’s up to you, I can’t make you agree with me, but I can make you see how I feel.

            And that shall be all for now! Until next time, Tim Cubbin… out!