Pronunciation watch

[french frank]

How interesting. I've lived in Westminster for 20 odd years, and I think (though have never paid much attention) I say WesMINster....

WESSminster.

[teamsaint]

as an aside, off topic, and something I didn't realise till quite recently, the wessminster chimes is probably one of the best known pieces of music in 5/4 time.

but i expect everybody knew that.

[Don Petter]

as an aside, off topic, and something I didn't realise till quite recently, the wessminster chimes is probably one of the best known pieces of music in 5/4 time.

but i expect everybody knew that.

I'd never thought of that!

So probably 'Whittington' is the same for 9/4? Or is that more of a 4/4+5/4? Depends how you hear it mentally, perhaps.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

as an aside, off topic, and something I didn't realise till quite recently, the wessminster chimes is probably one of the best known pieces of music in 5/4 time.

but i expect everybody knew that.

Some will recall that I challenged the forum to name the best-known tune in 5/4 time some time cago but it ages until anyone got it right.

[teamsaint]

Some will recall that I challenged the forum to name the best-known tune in 5/4 time some time cago but it ages until anyone got it right.

that is probably where I got it, so thanks EA.

I have been spreading the word.

surprising how few pompey fans know that they are singing in 5 time !!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

How do German speakers pronounce "Salzburg"?

[jean]

Like this (take your pick!)

[french frank]

Like this (take your pick!)

Zoitsboig?

[jean]

It wouldn't be my first choice.

I'm not sure why EA asked, but I have often been irritated by a tendency among RP speakers to pronounce the first syllable as something like Sawltz, presumably from a belief that a short a is just too Northern.

[french frank]

presumably from a belief that a short a is just too Northern.

I don't agree with that presumption. It surely reflects English pronunciation: salt, Baltic &c? Halt/half? If you don't know, you guess.

[vinteuil]

if "salz" = "salt", than a logical English RP - not an attempted German pronunciation - for "Salz - burg" might indeed be "Saultz -burg".

Moi, and most of my RP speaking acquaintance, wd howevah ectually say "Saltz - burg" with a short a. I don't know anyone who says Saultzburg.

[french frank]

if "salz" = "salt", than a logical English RP - not an attempted German pronunciation - for "Salz - burg" might indeed be "Saultz -burg".

Moi, and most of my RP speaking acquaintance, wd howevah ectually say "Saltz - burg" with a short a. I don't know anyone who says Saultzburg.

And of course boorg not berg ...

[Roehre]

if "salz" = "salt", than a logical English RP - not an attempted German pronunciation - for "Salz - burg" might indeed be "Saultz -burg".

Moi, and most of my RP speaking acquaintance, wd howevah ectually say "Saltz - burg" with a short a. I don't know anyone who says Saultzburg.

Salz is salt here, Salzburg is in the centre of a salt producing area from Roman times until the late middle ages, salt being an important and very expensive stuff (remember that Roman legionnairs quite often were paid with the stuff - hence salary).

A Northern German pronounces Salzburg something like Saultz-boorg, a Southern German, e.g. a Bavarian, or an Austrian more like Zoitsboig

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And of course boorg not berg ...

Precisely,but it's the first syllable that's the issue.

[jean]

...I don't know anyone who says Saultzburg.

I don't actually know anyone who does, of course, but I have overheard some.

You could argue it's just like saying Paris with an s, but I'm not convinced.