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Tag Archives: place names

March 7, 2020
by Graham
0 comments

Coronavirus

This seems an unlikely heading for a post from me – how can this possibly have any interest for pronunciation nerds? Until this week, I have only heard a single pronunciation for this – the ‘obvious’ one: koROHna(virus). (I’m sorry … Continue reading →

Categories: Language, Names | Tags: english, family name, place names, pronunciation, speech, spelling | Permalink

July 14, 2018
by Graham
0 comments

Thai cave rescue – some language notes

My regular correspondent in Thailand has sent me the following, which includes IPA script. I hope that it doesn’t suffer the same fate as other of my posts, where the IPA has become corrupted over time. “Good old BBC. No … Continue reading →

Categories: General, Language, Names | Tags: bbc, culture, journalists, meaning, place names, pronunciation, speech | Permalink

January 15, 2018
by Graham
1 Comment

Rohingya

I can claim no expertise in either the languages or the peoples of the area of the Bay of Bengal littoral. Today, 15 January 2018, the BBC has been highlighting the plight of the Rohingya people with a series of … Continue reading →

Categories: Language, Names | Tags: bbc, place names, pronunciation, radio 4, spelling | Permalink

September 12, 2016
by gpointon
8 Comments

How many ways to skin a cat?

I don’t usually watch the BBC’s science programme “The Sky at Night”, but last night I accidentally caught the beginning, and was hooked for the full half hour. What struck me, apart from the science, was the number of ways … Continue reading →

Categories: Language, Latin, Names | Tags: bbc, english, Latin, place names, pronunciation, speech | Permalink

May 11, 2016
by gpointon
0 comments

A Little Learning

Until the end of the 19th Century, when, in Britain at least, we began to have universal education, most people, however intelligent they were, didn’t have access to as much knowledge as we have today. The ‘educated’ classes tended still … Continue reading →

Categories: Greek, Language, Latin, Names | Tags: english, place names, pronunciation, spelling | Permalink

March 28, 2016
by gpointon
9 Comments

Palmyra

All three of the current standard pronouncing dictionaries of English give only one pronunciation for this historic Syrian place name – /pælˈmaɪrə/. I assume that this is still the recommendation of the Pronunciation Unit, and yet today, almost every commentator, … Continue reading →

Categories: Language | Tags: bbc, english, journalists, place names, pronunciation, radio 4, reporters | Permalink

March 3, 2016
by gpointon
2 Comments

Amiens

A Franco-British summit is being held in Amiens today. The name is pronounced in French /amjɛ̃/, which is often misinterpreted in English as /ˈæmiɑ̃ː/. The BBC’s recommendation is the closer /æmˈjæ̃/. Chris Aldridge, Radio 4’s Chief Announcer, had obviously not … Continue reading →

Categories: French, Language, Names | Tags: bbc, journalists, place names, pronunciation, radio 4, reporters | Permalink

January 10, 2015
by gpointon
8 Comments

French place names – again

The tragic events in France have once again shown the difficulties reporters have in knowing how to pronounce the names of the places involved. Obviously, they have rather more important things on their minds, but when names are constantly repeated, … Continue reading →

Categories: French, Language | Tags: bbc, place names, pronunciation, speech | Permalink

August 11, 2014
by gpointon
4 Comments

Confusing place names

We’re used, in the British Isles, to place names that have more than one pronunciation – Shrewsbury (/ˈʃrəʊzbÉ™ri/~/ˈʃruːzbÉ™ri/) is probably the best known, although those with long memories will recall that there was a veiled threat to my position over … Continue reading →

Categories: Language, Names | Tags: journalists, place names, pronunciation, speech, spelling | Permalink

February 22, 2014
by Graham
17 Comments

Ukraine

The present upheavals in Ukraine bring the pronunciation of its place names into prominence. Even the country’s name is now subtly different from what it was thirty years ago. Then the geographical area was always called “The Ukraine”, which was … Continue reading →

Categories: Language, Names, Russian | Tags: bbc, english, place names, pronunciation, speech | Permalink

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  • Radio 3 (2)
    • Graham: Tim – I think that Robin must have recorded the majority of those fillers before my time at the BBC. He...
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  • Richard III – The Reunion (4)
    • Graham: Eric – do mineralogists call themselves minerologists, then, or say that the pronunciation...
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  • The Queen’s English – literally (2)
    • Graham: Sidney – I’ve not only just read Fabricius (2007) but also gone back to the Harrington et al...
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    • Graham: Mink – I’m sure you’re right. Your phrase “phonetic overgeneralisation” is what...

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