Pronunciation watch

[mercia]

I've just been dipping into my secondhand copy of Envy of the World where it says that back in 1996 every time the BBC Pronunciation Unit was asked for guidance on a particular word they charged £8 for the service (presumably more now) - seems a bit weird when they're all working for the same company (??)

perhaps there's a discount for several words - £8 each, 5 for £30

[Pabmusic]

Ponssay it is

During a sojourn in the wilds of western Mexico (on a wildlife project) my Castilian lisping caused some good-natured amusement.

The Spanish were here in the Philippines for well over 300 years and Spanish has had a a strong influence on many (traditionally Malay, Polynesian and Australiasian) languages. But there's no lisping at all, even in languages like Chavacano, which is very Spanish. Ponce would be 'Ponsee'. They seem only to pronounce 'e' as 'ay' if it falls in the middle of a name (Reyes = Rayez, for instance, a common name here).

[Richard Tarleton]

... but the good folk of Pembrokeshire simply take it in their stride?

Mind you, they must be used to it by now...

Yeth indeed

Not that you lisp "s" in Spanish, unless you're Rob Cowan, who says "Granadoth"

[french frank]

I've just been dipping into my secondhand copy of Envy of the World where it says that back in 1996 every time the BBC Pronunciation Unit was asked for guidance on a particular word they charged £8 for the service (presumably more now) - seems a bit weird when they're all working for the same company (??)

perhaps there's a discount for several words - £8 each, 5 for £30

I think that was BIRT - now discontinued. The service is now free to BBC staff. I've seen their advice forms - phonetic versions like 'PON-thay', 'KO-dye'. But I remember Chris de Souza (when he came to St Geo's for a recital) explaining that the PU advised Fron-seks for Jean Françaix but everyone was so used to Fron-say that that is what he was going to say

Not that you lisp "s" in Spanish, unless you're Rob Cowan, who says "Granadoth"

Rather than Granathoss (voiced 'th' as in 'this', not as in 'thin'. Though I would prefer anyone not proficient in Spanish pronunciation to say 'Gra-NAH-doss', because the 'th' isn't like English 'th' anyway.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've seen their advice forms - phonetic versions like 'PON-thay', 'KO-dye'. But I remember Chris de Souza (when he came to St Geo's for a recital) explaining that the PU advised Fron-seks for Jean Françaix but everyone was so used to Fron-say that that is what he was going to say

cf my correspondence with the BBC over another composer's name, which they confirmed should be pronounced TARRega. Unfortunately, BBC procedures did not allow for this to be brought directly to the attention of the offending presenters, instead of which I was told to "escalate" [their word] the complaint by writing directly to Roger Wright or to the outsourced complaints unit in Darlington - thus demonstrating that the BBC is still a bureaucratic behemoth in the post-Birt era...

Rather than Granathoss (voiced 'th' as in 'this', not as in 'thin'. Though I would prefer anyone not proficient in Spanish pronunciation to say 'Gra-NAH-doss', because the 'th' isn't like English 'th' anyway.

Quite

[mercia]

KO-dye

is that a short O ? I don't like Coe-dye (even if its correct )

[amateur51]

I've just been dipping into my secondhand copy of Envy of the World where it says that back in 1996 every time the BBC Pronunciation Unit was asked for guidance on a particular word they charged £8 for the service (presumably more now) - seems a bit weird when they're all working for the same company (??)

perhaps there's a discount for several words - £8 each, 5 for £30

Blame the Checkland/Birt era

As others have noted, price of everything, value of nothing





Edit: cross-posted with french frank #769

[Bryn]

Blame the Checkland/Birt era

As others have noted, price of everything, value of nothing

Just one example of a national, or even international, malaise. When, for instance, I worked at the TRL for a while, back in the '80s, all internal library loans were billed to the particular project/department using the material. I'm sure the cost of the administration of such internal billing systems far outweighs any perceived benefits. We used to make a point of reading any papers we needed to consult within the confines of the library room itself, rather than taking them to where we were working on the project to which they related. It tended to be more time consuming, but kept projects' budgets for other things.

[french frank]

is that a short O ? I don't like Coe-dye (even if its correct )

Well, I made up the examples because I couldn't remember the name I was shown. I did contemplate afterwards clarifying with, sort of, KOD-dye but that looks as if there's a dd. Perhaps KO-dye (bit like 'o' as in 'hot')? Thinking about it more, as there's an accent on the 'a' (Kodály), should it be more like KO-dah-ee (bit like 'o' as in 'hot', final 'ee' v short, more like a 'y' sound as at the beginning of 'yacht')? I don't know much Hungarian. I see Wiki offers - ˈkodaːj .

[amateur51]

Well, I made up the examples because I couldn't remember the name I was shown. I did contemplate afterwards clarifying with, sort of, KOD-dye but that looks as if there's a dd. Perhaps KO-dye (bit like 'o' as in 'hot')? Thinking about it more, as there's an accent on the 'a' (Kodály), should it be more like KO-dah-ee (bit like 'o' as in 'hot', final 'ee' v short, more like a 'y' sound as at the beginning of 'yacht')? I don't know much Hungarian. I see Wiki offers - ˈkodaːj .

I'll ask next time I'm in the Gay Hussar restaurant.

Mind you most of the waiters are from Bangladesh

[french frank]

Btw, there's a Facebook group called Society for the Promotion of Correct Pronunciation on Radio 3. It seems to be slightly more nitpicking than here (honestly!) and they don't always agree with each other . I won't post the url as the forum might lose customers :-/

[Sir Velo]

Well, I made up the examples because I couldn't remember the name I was shown. I did contemplate afterwards clarifying with, sort of, KOD-dye but that looks as if there's a dd. Perhaps KO-dye (bit like 'o' as in 'hot')? Thinking about it more, as there's an accent on the 'a' (Kodály), should it be more like KO-dah-ee (bit like 'o' as in 'hot', final 'ee' v short, more like a 'y' sound as at the beginning of 'yacht')? I don't know much Hungarian. I see Wiki offers - ˈkodaːj .

I think an Aussie "G'day" is a fair approximation.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

:. I won't post the url as the forum might lose fcustomers :-/

Aw... Don't be mean.

[french frank]

Aw... Don't be mean.

Why did you put an f in front of customers in my quote - I don't recall having to make a correction? If you really want to know, I will tell you privately

Sir V - yes, it is a bit like G'day, as long as the 'day' bit is authentic Strine and not standard English!

[gurnemanz]

Kodaly spoken by three natives here. Each puts the family name first - Kodály Zoltán.