# Non-native-English-speaking Dopers, ask your English questions here **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-native-english-speaking-dopers-ask-your-english-questions-here/355405 "2006-05-04T16:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-native-english-speaking-dopers-ask-your-english-questions-here/355405/81 "2006-05-12T10:25:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Any other places where people think a “ch” is a “k”? Character. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-native-english-speaking-dopers-ask-your-english-questions-here/355405/82 "2006-05-12T18:15:45Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > When I was in Philly, I ran into a strange phenomenon. > > People insisted in pronouncing the first word of my lastname (Ochoa) as “okoa”. The Italians don’t do it, they know Spanish Ch sounds, well, ch-as-in-chocolate (or, as an Italian would put it, “ci comme il cioccolate”) > > I figure this is somehow related to the fact that Philli-ers also pronounce Schauilkill (sp? anyway, the river) as “skoki”. > > Any other places where people think a “ch” is a “k”? Well, even though the Italians have a “ch” sound as you mentioned, the “ch” to them is pronounced “k” – as in “_chiesa_” or “_che_.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-native-english-speaking-dopers-ask-your-english-questions-here/355405.md?page=4)