January 21, 2013
by Graham
1 Comment
The tragic events in Algeria have once more brought the words Islamist and Jihadist (should they be capitalized or not?) into the news. Two things strike me – first, where is the stress on Islamist? The ‘rule’ in English is … Continue reading
November 24, 2012
by Graham
20 Comments
One of the problems with English spelling is the number of borrowings there have been from other languages. It is often said that English should follow the lead of languages like Spanish, that spell as they are pronounced. Leaving aside … Continue reading
October 26, 2012
by Graham
7 Comments
The BBC’s Arts guru Mark Lawson is setting himself up as an expert in Scandinavian crime writing. As such, you would think that he would care about the pronunciation of the names of the writers he’s interviewing and talking about, … Continue reading
September 8, 2012
by Graham
6 Comments
The awful events near Lake Annecy have brought this place name into prominence. At first sight it is a straightforward French name, with no problem for people needing to pronounce it, such as British radio and TV newsreaders and journalists, … Continue reading
August 3, 2012
by Graham
5 Comments
Dictionaries which try to show the pronunciation of words can basically use one of two methods: either they can use a respelling system (this was the only possibility for dictionaries compiled up to the middle of the 19th century), or … Continue reading
June 26, 2012
by Graham
5 Comments
This weekend’s papers have brought up (quite inadvertently on their part) a problem caused by the development of non-rhotic accents: “High Street banks are often reluctant to invest in what they see as risky and uncharted territory” (Mail on Sunday, … Continue reading
March 18, 2012
by Graham
5 Comments
In a New Year broadcast, the veteran radio critic of the Daily Telegraph, Gillian Reynolds, took the BBC’s “Today” presenters to task for their umming and erring. When they were about to interview someone, she said, they must often have … Continue reading
February 11, 2012
by Graham
8 Comments
The realisation of /θ/ as /f/ in English (and similarly for its voiced equivalent) has long been thought of as a Cockney trait, made fun of by generations of comedians, and bemoaned by countless traditionalists as heralding the demise of … Continue reading
January 9, 2012
by Graham
6 Comments
I don’t know why, after all these years, I should still be surprised by odd pronunciations, but I am. Two that have recently come my way, both from the BBC, are eviscerate, pronounced /iˈvɪskəreɪt/ by Simon Sebag Montefiore presenting the … Continue reading
January 3, 2012
by Graham
5 Comments
I thought that would get your attention! The substance that these controversial objects are made from is causing some confusion. There are two separate materials: silicon and silicone. Silicon is a non-metallic element, symbolised by Si, used for its properties … Continue reading