Pronunciation watch

[Nick Armstrong]

... not all of us are on facebook. We have to seek our consistent amusements elsewhere. Are you able to share the pith of the delight to be obtained in this pertickler instance?

Ah doesn't the link work if your Face is not in the book? Sorry...

I'm not sure I can do justice to Mahan's contributions, as I might have to mod myself (his language is occasionally ripe ).

As for Squire Trelawny, this was the exchange that prompted my post:

Lovely Petroc, it's Elguh (as in Elder) not Elgahr (as in agar). From an admirer.
&
Oo, sorry Petroc. I'm sure it's Norsherping (dum di dum), not Nor-shopping.

Petroc Trelawny (for it is he. Ed.): Dear Philip - you are quite correct re the orch - it sped towards me with no time to double check. At least not nor-kopping. Re. Elgar I think a debate between period pronunciation and accepted modern usage - most people say El-garr ... Though I accept that in no way means that is correct ...

To be clear, that wasn't a perticklishly amusing exchange - it was just good of PT to wade in and respond (perhaps the adjective "lovely" proved an effective bait.... )

[french frank]

Just listening to Sunday's Breakfast

Perhaps someone could tell the presenter that a VYE-uh-la is a plant; the stringed instrument which is larger than a violin and smaller than a cello is a vee-OH-la. And, um, Boolay?

[Bryn]

Rob Cowan just rendered Moog and written when introducing an item, then corrected himself to Moog as pronounced by the man himself after the spin.

[vinteuil]

Rob Cowan just rendered Moog and written when introducing an item, then corrected himself to Moog as pronounced by the man himself after the spin.

... that may be a little unfair. William Gregory earlier in the week explained why he pronounced Moog as Moog even tho' he knows that Robt: Moog pronounced it Moag. Something along the lines of - well, that's how we all pronounced it before we 'learnt' that it 'should' be pronounced Moag - and that, ennyway, it's a Dutch name - they wd pronounce it Moog - and that Robt: M shd've known better (or words to that effect).

I'm no fan of Mr Cowan; his pronunciation is a regular joy for fault-finders : but this time I think he has some kind of defence ...

[LeMartinPecheur]

And, um, Boolay?

Yes, noticed that one. But why doesn't Boulez rhyme with voulez? Perhaps it's just one of those oddities to confuse us Brits, like the fact (IIRC) that Jean Francaix pronounced his surname with the final x sounded. Not something the BBC has taken up for some unknown reason What do French broadcasters do?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, noticed that one. But why doesn't Boulez rhyme with voulez? Perhaps it's just one of those oddities to confuse us Brits, like the fact (IIRC) that Jean Francaix pronounced his surname with the final x sounded. Not something the BBC has taken up for some unknown reason What do French broadcasters do?

And what about Berlioz? (Or, when the occasion arises, "Ferneyhough"!)

(How does one correctly pronounce "Launceston", for that matter?! )

[french frank]

Yes, noticed that one. But why doesn't Boulez rhyme with voulez?

With names there's usually some historical explanation for the pronunciation (if it isn't someone wanting to be 'different').

like the fact (IIRC) that Jean Francaix pronounced his surname with the final x sounded. Not something the BBC has taken up for some unknown reason

I was at a recital in St Geo's, Bristol, presented for R3 by Chris de Souza. He told the audience in the warm-up that he was well aware of the claimed pronunciation Fronseks, but he would be pronouncing it Fronsay because that was the BBC way …

[Sir Velo]

Chris de Souza...told the audience in the warm-up that he was well aware of the claimed pronunciation Fronseks, but he would be pronouncing it Fronsay because that was the BBC way …

A clear case of no sex please, we're British.

[Pabmusic]

And what about Berlioz? (Or, when the occasion arises, "Ferneyhough"!)

(How does one correctly pronounce "Launceston", for that matter?! )

I don't know about 'correct' anything. I've never been correct in my life. Two syllables, surely.

As for Boulez, Berlioz, Françaix. What about Asterix? (OK - he's Belgian.)

[LeMartinPecheur]

And what about Berlioz? (Or, when the occasion arises, "Ferneyhough"!)

(How does one correctly pronounce "Launceston", for that matter?! )

Living where I do I can claim some knowledge on 'Lanson'. It's even still commonly spelt thus in local papers. What fascinated me when we moved here was a shopkeeper, probably 80+, very, very local 'proper-Cornish', in our village. My wife caught him saying 'Lawnston' to her, asked him why and was told he chose his pronunciation for whom he was talking to, p-C or incomer, presumably. Well, that put us in our place...

And of course there's the Catch-22 than if you say one you're flagging yourself up as an ignorant incomer, and if you use the other you're even worse, pretending to be p-C! There are many such traps in many different places...

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't know about 'correct' anything. I've never been correct in my life. Two syllables, surely.

As for Boulez, Berlioz, Françaix. What about Asterix? (OK - he's Belgian.)

Pierre Etaix, the French comic actor?

[Pabmusic]

Pierre Etaix, the French comic actor?

[Stan Drews]

Although easily checkable (thanks, Keraulophone, November 17 last year), AMcG persistently referred to Niels 'Gayday' on CDR this morning.

[mangerton]

This pronunciation question is indubitably a problem. On a personal note, I'm not even sure how my forum name should be pronounced.

Should the first two syllables rhyme with anger, stranger, or banger? I have an idea, but I don't know. Can any kind soul here please help?

[Pulcinella]

This pronunciation question is indubitably a problem. On a personal note, I'm not even sure how my forum name should be pronounced.

Should the first two syllables rhyme with anger, stranger, or banger? I have an idea, but I don't know. Can any kind soul here please help?

Am I missing something?
Where I come from, anger and banger rhyme with each other.
Were you born in a manger?