Re: grouping by unique...

From: "Michael Kay" <mhk@xxxxxxxxx>
> > The vast majority of Americans will fake it and get it wrong, and say
> > something closer to "Munchian" with a short 'u' as in the way
> > they (we) say
> > "Punjab". And Americans hate to be told they're wrong. :->
>
> Americans are never wrong. But the way they pronounce European names is
> totally unpredictable to most Europeans.

Europeans are predictable because they consistently mispronounce foreign
names, so when you are listening, e.g., to a Dutch or English person, you
know what to expect. Americans inconsistenly mispronounce foreign names. But
of course Americans inconsistently pronounce American names, like New
Orleans, Boston, Carolina and George, and view all the variations as
correct. Perhaps for this reason, Americans rarely correct how a European
pronounces an American name, even if said European can't manage to get out
"New Orleans" in any of the three or four ways we say it.

Conversely, some Europeans treat an American mispronouncing a name as a
topic of conversation (witness this thread). I have long been puzzled by
this, especially when I find myself talking to some individual who
pronounces my name "Bub Foh-STAIR" but wants to make an issue of how I say
"Awn-ree". It strikes me as pedantic and rather poor manners in the bargain,
but on social conventions, as on pronunciation, I try to keep an open mind.
;-}

Bob Foster


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