Pronunciation watch

[MrGongGong]

Never mind that - it's Cameron's pronunciation I'm talking about!

I know

[P. G. Tipps]

'Irrevocable' ...

I was always taught by my infamously wicked teachers () that the perfectly simple word above is pronounced 'irrevocable but almost always nowadays it is the much harsher 'rrevocable' that is heard.

I'm appalled that even BBC announcers/presenters now seem to have adopted this comparatively dissonant pronunciation, following the lead of our wretched, linguistically-challenged politicians.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

'Irrevocable' ...

I was always taught by my infamously wicked teachers () that the perfectly simple word above is pronounced 'irrevocable but almost always nowadays it is the much harsher 'rrevocable' that is heard.

I'm appalled that even BBC announcers/presenters now seem to have adopted this comparatively dissonant pronunciation, following the lead of our wretched, linguistically-challenged politicians.

The former is the more common pronunciation, but the latter is more logical. After all, you revOke, but never rEvoke.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But does the third syllable rhyme with "poke" or sort-of with "docker"?

[P. G. Tipps]

The former is the more common pronunciation, but the latter is more logical. After all, you revOke, but never rEvoke.

Since when was English logical ... ?

Actually I have heard people say rEvoke so I'd nEver say nevEr, EA ...

[Nick Armstrong]

I enjoyed the exchanges today on this facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/205141019615233/?fref=nf

triggered by this post by a member:

Interesting, on CD Review, that a genuine Russian says: "Tchikovsky", even though the Cyrillic (Чайковский) suggests a pronunciation with a full diphthong. I remember reading some time ago that Russians say "Tchikovsky" as a matter of course. Does anyone know the reason for this?

(As time goes on you may have to scroll down the page to find it).

There are 37-odd comments to read under the post.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Since when was English logical ... ?

Why do you think I'm learning Spanish?

[jean]

Pronunciation in English is determined by the number of syllables in a word, rather than whatever other word it might be derived from, or related to. There's nothing illogical about this.

What seems to be happening is that rthe conventions are changing - whereas in four-syllable words the stress used to be on the first syllable - FORmidable, CONtroversy, HARrassment, (ir)REVocable and many more - the fashion now seems to be to shift the stress to the second syllable.

I don't like it much either, but logic has nothing to do with either convention.

[Beef Oven!]

How is Knorr pronounced ?

For the record, I make my own gravy and stock.

[mangerton]

How is Knorr pronounced ?

For the record, I make my own gravy and stock.

Quite simply, "nor".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Pronunciation in English is determined by the number of syllables in a word, rather than whatever other word it might be derived from, or related to. There's nothing illogical about this.

What seems to be happening is that rthe conventions are changing - whereas in four-syllable words the stress used to be on the first syllable - FORmidable, CONtroversy, HARrassment, (ir)REVocable and many more - the fashion now seems to be to shift the stress to the second syllable.

I don't like it much either, but logic has nothing to do with either convention.

The pre-penultimate syllable is very often the accented one. But no always: PHOtograph; phoTOgraphy; BUT photoGRAphic.

[jean]

How is Knorr pronounced ?

The name is German, isn't it? The K would certainly be pronounced there. But we no longer like pronouncing initial K when it's followed by n.

We're not much better at French names. When I was a child, it was always Nessels.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The name is German, isn't it? The K would certainly be pronounced there. But we no longer like pronouncing initial K when it's followed by n.

We're not much better at French names. When I was a child, it was always Nessels.

It was printed on the packet in a way that suggested that. (Unless it said "Rowntrees").

[mangerton]

The name is German, isn't it? The K would certainly be pronounced there. But we no longer like pronouncing initial K when it's followed by n.

We're not much better at French names. When I was a child, it was always Nessels.

I worked in the Knorr factory in Paisley, and it was always pronounced "nor".

Knorr was originally German, HQ in Heilbronn. Your point about pronunciation is well made. As well as Nessels, Heinz was commonly mispronounced, though their advertising slogan "Beanz meanz Heinz" probably didn't help.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I worked in the Knorr factory in Paisley, and it was always pronounced "nor".

Knorr was originally German, HQ in Heilbronn. Your point about pronunciation is well made. As well as Nessels, Heinz was commonly mispronounced, though their advertising slogan "Beanz meanz Heinz" probably didn't help.

When companies deliberately mispronounce their own names, it's time to give up. Other examples include "More reasons to shop at Morrisons" and Halford's (with the first syllable pronounced like the name of the computer in 2001 & 2010).