Pronunciation watch

[Serial_Apologist]

https://theconversation.com/ask-or-a...s%20inequality

Discuss. This could go nucular.

"Aks" is very familiar among Afro-Caribbeans in S London - I had read somewhere that it is a colloquialism in Jamaica: the article makes mention of that. A common mispronunciation along similar lines is, of course, "Eckcetera", which I have even heard so-called "well-spoken" presenters use.

On other pronunciation questions raised in that article, while I remember having my glottal stops corrected in childhood, I do think I prefer my "hospi'all" to the way one so often hears it in the Home Counties, as "hoss spittole"

[Bryn]

"Aks" is very familiar among Afro-Caribbeans in S London - I had read somewhere that it is a colloquialism in Jamaica: the article makes mention of that. A common mispronunciation along similar lines is, of course, "Eckcetera", which I have even heard so-called "well-spoken" presenters use.

On other pronunciation questions raised in that article, while I remember having my glottal stops corrected in childhood, I do think I prefer my "hospi'all" to the way one so often hears it in the Home Counties, as "hoss spittole"

How abour skelington?

[cloughie]

"Aks" is very familiar among Afro-Caribbeans in S London - I had read somewhere that it is a colloquialism in Jamaica: the article makes mention of that. A common mispronunciation along similar lines is, of course, "Eckcetera", which I have even heard so-called "well-spoken" presenters use.

On other pronunciation questions raised in that article, while I remember having my glottal stops corrected in childhood, I do think I prefer my "hospi'all" to the way one so often hears it in the Home Counties, as "hoss spittole"

Or the pronunciation of it which sounds like equine urine!

[kernelbogey]

"Aks" is very familiar among Afro-Caribbeans in S London - I had read somewhere that it is a colloquialism in Jamaica: the article makes mention of that.

I haven't read the article, but I have some evidence that afro-caribbean pronunciations are spreading among young whites (possibly as 'estuary' has): for example prononcing th as f.

[gurnemanz]

How abour skelington?

My mother sometimes used to say skelington - not in her case an error but a whimsically deliberate mispronuciation. This sort of thing us not uncommon.

[gurnemanz]

As spring arrives the pretty putple aubrieta will soon be flowering - usually mispronounced and often misspelled aubretia.

[Serial_Apologist]

As spring arrives the pretty putple aubrieta will soon be flowering - usually mispronounced and often misspelled aubretia.

You mean, as in the well-known hymn?

All things Brighton beautiful
Aubretia's great and small.

[Serial_Apologist]

Or the pronunciation of it which sounds like equine urine!

Nah - that's for the final staging post!

[french frank]

As spring arrives the pretty purple aubrieta will soon be flowering - usually mispronounced and often misspelled aubretia.

Or as the Sunday Gardener has it:

"How to Grow Aubretia

Aubreita is a low-growing, evergreen perennial

[Keep trying, lads]

Although Aubrieta is not scented … "

If at first …

[Serial_Apologist]

I haven't read the article, but I have some evidence that afro-caribbean pronunciations are spreading among young whites (possibly as 'estuary' has): for example prononcing th as f.

That "f" goes back much further than Afro-Caribbean London speak. The article also mentioned "Jafaikan" as a derogatory way of describing the latter. There was a time I would have given that description for white folks adopting it, pop radio station hosts for example; but the truth of the matter is that Afro-Caribbean Londonspeak is now pretty much ubiquitous among those of school age: you will hear the good old slightly nasal S London accent among elderly and middle aged whites around here, and even some blacks, but as with the move out to the suburbs that began in the 1920s and accelerated post-war, ironically one is now more likely to encounter Cockney out towards the fringes, and much further out to places such as Southampton, Colchester, Cambridge, Luton, Reading, even Peterborough, and pretty much the whole of Surrey, Sussex and Kent. It would appear that places with the strongest predominating identities - Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle for example - will manage to hang onto their local accents. As one whose mother came from Middlesbrough, a place which has been decimated by de-industrialisation since the Thatcher era, for example, it has been noticeable how much of the lilting Teeside accent has been "infiltrated" by Geordie - although those to whom I have mentioned this have vociferously denied it as being the case!

[Bryn]

The lead reporter on an item about Steve Reich's Reich/Richter was totally out of her depth on Radio 4's Today Programme, this morning. Not only did she appear to know nothing about his work, she repeatedly referred to him as "Reesh". Where do they get these hopeless reporters? Thankfully, the continuity got his name right.

[Belgrove]

The lead reporter on an item about Steve Reich's Reich/Richter was totally out of her depth on Radio 4's Today Programme, this morning. Not only did she appear to know nothing about his work, she repeatedly referred to him as "Reesh". Where do they get these hopeless reporters? Thankfully, the continuity got his name right.

Indeed so. I immediately wrote to Today, pointing out that Ms Razzle, being the BBC’s Arts Correspondent (sic), really ought to know better. A case of Razzle failing to dazzle. The serene Michel Hussain got it right.

[oddoneout]

The lead reporter on an item about Steve Reich's Reich/Richter was totally out of her depth on Radio 4's Today Programme, this morning. Not only did she appear to know nothing about his work, she repeatedly referred to him as "Reesh". Where do they get these hopeless reporters? Thankfully, the continuity got his name right.

What opportunity/time are such people given to read through text and check pronunciations? Is there even such a requirement? It is easy to criticise when we know what is correct, but doesn't this come down to effective management which considers such details important; I thought it used to be considered a basic courtesy to check names were correct, but I suspect that has fallen by the wayside except in certain headline cases - and not always even then.

[Bryn]

What opportunity/time are such people given to read through text and check pronunciations? Is there even such a requirement? It is easy to criticise when we know what is correct, but doesn't this come down to effective management which considers such details important; I thought it used to be considered a basic courtesy to check names were correct, but I suspect that has fallen by the wayside except in certain headline cases - and not always even then.

I suggest you actually listen to the case in point before acting as an apologist for the miscreant.

[oddoneout]

I suggest you actually listen to the case in point before acting as an apologist for the miscreant.

Wrist slap duly noted.