Author Topic: Pronunciation that makes you cringe (Read 148089 times)

eck · « **Reply #175 on:** 18 November, 2014, 06:42:44 pm »

Quote from: Feanor on 17 November, 2014, 08:36:15 pm

Quote from: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 17 November, 2014, 08:29:52 pm
STV are currently showing a programme about Anstruther (no, I don't know why either) and the narrator has pronounced it Anstruther all the way through.

So enlighten me.
What is the correct pronunciation?

Anstruther is near Kilconquhar.

Ian H · « **Reply #176 on:** 18 November, 2014, 08:33:28 pm »

It rather saddens me that the local authority has decided to add an alternative pronunciation spelling to signs for Woolfardisworthy.

Gasman · « **Reply #177 on:** 08 December, 2014, 01:47:51 pm »

Quote from: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 17 November, 2014, 08:29:52 pm

STV are currently showing a programme about Anstruther (no, I don't know why either) and the narrator has pronounced it Anstruther all the way through.

In my, albeit limited, experience Anstruther is only Ainster in and around Anstruther. Other places regularly mispronounced by Southerly broadcasters include;

BEERS-den - Bearsden (where a large furry animal lives)
Kir-COLL-di/KIR-kle-dee - Kircaldy (Kir-COD-i)
Stran-REAR - Stranraer (Stran-RARR)
Cairnyarn - Cairnryan
GREN-ock - Greenock

Kircudbright (Kir-COOB-ri) and Milngavie (Mill-GYE) attract more mispronunciations than you can shake a stick at.

My own pet hate (not sure if it's already been mentioned) is "harrassed/harrassment" pronounced a la Frank Spencer. They should rhyme with embarrassed/embarrassment.

T42 · « **Reply #178 on:** 08 December, 2014, 02:29:29 pm »

ee-BOW-la. Argh. EBB-oh-la, ya twit.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #179 on:** 08 December, 2014, 04:01:09 pm »

Quote from: T42 on 08 December, 2014, 02:29:29 pm

ee-BOW-la. Argh. EBB-oh-la, ya twit.

Or E-bola, a close relative of E-coli. (Cringe making, not correct pronunciation obvs.)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #180 on:** 08 December, 2014, 10:34:39 pm »

I'm pretty sure that I heard Richard Osman pronounce pronunciation pronounciation the other day. I'm not absolutely sure because I find my ears play tricks on me these days and I sometimes think I've heard something which subsequently proves not to have been as it seemed at the time.

Pingu · « **Reply #181 on:** 16 December, 2014, 11:03:34 pm »

Gideon Coe attempting molybdenum

His listeners' suggestions aren't any better

Steph · « **Reply #182 on:** 17 December, 2014, 10:46:48 am »

My old physics teacher trying to say "naphthalene"

He couldn't spell it, in addition.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #183 on:** 29 December, 2014, 07:11:57 am »

On an otherwise excellent Radio 4 program about how navigation works in the brain the (British) presenter repeatedly said "ee-ko-location" instead of "e-cho-location". Its echo not eco for heavens sake.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #184 on:** 29 December, 2014, 09:54:35 am »

That's the Australian version. They shout "Koo-ee" and it comes back as "Ee-koo".

That's the southern hemisphere for you.

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #185 on:** 29 December, 2014, 10:27:52 am »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 29 December, 2014, 07:11:57 am

On an otherwise excellent Radio 4 program about how navigation works in the brain the (British) presenter repeatedly said "ee-ko-location" instead of "e-cho-location". Its echo not eco for heaven's sake.

I've also cringed upthread about documentaries where people who should know better pronounce the same word strangely over and over again...

Recently on the Guardian podcast, the "science of drinks expert", who had a distinctly estuary twang and evidently not from the USA, kept talking about Driver Mooth. By the end of the piece it had even become Drive Mooth. Srsly?

mattc · « **Reply #186 on:** 29 December, 2014, 02:59:09 pm »

Hmmm. you're touching on running-together-of-words there - potentially a huge area for cringes.
(it may be a regional thing in the UK - always a sensitive area! <ducks> )

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #187 on:** 29 December, 2014, 03:07:05 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 29 December, 2014, 02:59:09 pm

Hmmm. you're touching on running-together-of-words there - potentially a huge area for cringes.
(it may be a regional thing in the UK - always a sensitive area! <ducks> )

Not at all - it may be a FOREIGN word, but it has its own BRITISH pronunciation: VERR-muth not va-MOOTH. Whatever next? Te-MAY-doh?

mattc · « **Reply #188 on:** 29 December, 2014, 05:09:42 pm »

Quote from: Pickled Onion on 29 December, 2014, 03:07:05 pm

Quote from: mattc on 29 December, 2014, 02:59:09 pm
Hmmm. you're touching on running-together-of-words there - potentially a huge area for cringes.
(it may be a regional thing in the UK - always a sensitive area! <ducks> )

Not at all - it may be a FOREIGN word, but it has its own BRITISH pronunciation: VERR-muth not va-MOOTH. Whatever next? Te-MAY-doh?

Oh, I see - then I misunderstood you, sorry.

Perhaps because in all honesty I was only aware of people stressing the 2nd syllable. I suppose "vur-MOOTH" would be my best effort at transcription. ("va" sounds wrong. and Te-MAY-doh is definitely out, as is te-MAH-doh ... )
It's not something that I discuss very often, so I'm very happy to be over-ruled on this one!

mattc · « **Reply #189 on:** 02 January, 2015, 05:34:04 pm »

On R4 recently (Today programme guest presenter, possibly?)

UEFA as " ooo-EEE-far "

Nuncio · « **Reply #190 on:** 02 January, 2015, 09:00:08 pm »

Quote from: Gasman on 08 December, 2014, 01:47:51 pm

Quote from: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 17 November, 2014, 08:29:52 pm
STV are currently showing a programme about Anstruther (no, I don't know why either) and the narrator has pronounced it Anstruther all the way through.

In my, albeit limited, experience Anstruther is only Ainster in and around Anstruther. Other places regularly mispronounced by Southerly broadcasters include;

Stran-REAR - Stranraer (Stran-RARR)
Cairnyarn - Cairnryan

Kircudbright (Kir-COOB-ri) and Milngavie (Mill-GYE) attract more mispronunciations than you can shake a stick at.

If we stay in that part of the world, what about those idiots who ponounce Crocketford (Croc-it-fud) as Ninemile Bar (Nine-mile baa)?

Bledlow · « **Reply #191 on:** 02 January, 2015, 09:49:04 pm »

Lower Winchendon - now often pronounced Nether Winchendon.

T42 · « **Reply #192 on:** 02 January, 2015, 09:54:54 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 02 January, 2015, 05:34:04 pm

On R4 recently (Today programme guest presenter, possibly?)

UEFA as " ooo-EEE-far "

I can remember when they didn't pronounce the E at all, then the Beeb realised that "UEFA Cup" sounded like a rude suggestion.

CAMRAMan · « **Reply #193 on:** 02 January, 2015, 09:55:40 pm »

Pretentious wine drinkers who go to great lengths to pronounce 'cabernet sauvignon' with authenticity, but then say 'carver' for 'cava'. An old chestnut I have no doubt mentioned before, but it still grates.

And, as a former Silhillian, I say 'so-lee-'hull', with stress on the final syllable, seeing as it is the hill that is soily.

T42 · « **Reply #194 on:** 03 January, 2015, 07:27:56 am »

Quote from: A Warwickshire Lad on 02 January, 2015, 09:55:40 pm

Pretentious wine drinkers who go to great lengths to pronounce 'cabernet sauvignon' with authenticity, but then say 'carver' for 'cava'. An old chestnut I have no doubt mentioned before, but it still grates.

They probably also say "drawring room".

Steph · « **Reply #195 on:** 03 January, 2015, 08:27:38 am »

Quote from: T42 on 03 January, 2015, 07:27:56 am

Quote from: A Warwickshire Lad on 02 January, 2015, 09:55:40 pm
Pretentious wine drinkers who go to great lengths to pronounce 'cabernet sauvignon' with authenticity, but then say 'carver' for 'cava'. An old chestnut I have no doubt mentioned before, but it still grates.

They probably also say "drawring room".

"Lar-tay"

L CC · « **Reply #196 on:** 08 January, 2015, 02:40:45 pm »

Dowlfenwaaase.

It took me a while to work out what she meant.

Turned out to be

(click to show/hide)

and worse than that, what she actually had was

(click to show/hide)

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #197 on:** 09 January, 2015, 11:31:09 pm »

pt. 94 of "experts who should know better"

Economist journalist on More or Less: "Racey-oh"

Over and over again...

hellymedic · « **Reply #198 on:** 10 January, 2015, 12:58:42 am »

Quote from: Pickled Onion on 09 January, 2015, 11:31:09 pm

pt. 94 of "experts who should know better"

Economist journalist on More or Less: "Racey-oh"

Over and over again...

Isn't that Church Latin?

It's certainly how we we we were instructed to sing various Masses (and made a ponce out of Pontius Pilate).

T42 · « **Reply #199 on:** 10 January, 2015, 08:20:42 am »

So his name means Hairy Ponce.