British English pronunciation of foreign vowels

[Hostile_Dialect]

@amarone

If you think the British are bad, listen to the American pronunciation of Des Moines and Des Plaines. And Piedmont. And Beaufort.

For Spanish examples, how about Los Angeles?

@jjimm

We’ve got hundreds, and they vary incredibly.

You may think so, but we Americans know the truth: every native English speaker east of Maine has exactly the same accent. Hopefully you foreigners will figure it out someday.

@Doobieous

I do speak Spanish, but when speaking English and pronouncing the town names as they should be pronounced, it comes across as stilted.

Yup, same here. I switch between English and Spanish in the same word often, and I often find myself lost somewhere in the middle. It just doesn’t feel right unless I Spanishize my English and Englishize my Spanish a little.

@amarone

This Brit says something like Halapeenyo. Is that wrong?

Yup. Hah-lah-pAYnyo. That’s how it’s properly pronounced in Mexican or South American Spanish, at least. I believe the Spaniards would prefer an /x/ sound (think Chanukah) for the opening “j”.

@Zeldar

Jaguar is one I like

This American pronounces it jag-wire.

[Alan_Smithee]

@PastAllReason

AWN-velopes for envelopes is an issue? Seems to be a common Canadian pronunciation.

And Alan Smithee there are quite a few Canadians this side of the Atlantic who could be hear to say hal-a-PEN-yo. Not that everyone does by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve heard quite often.

But that’s fine. It’s jew-LA-pee-nos that’s an abomination.