Oh, I forgot some good ones… a friend of mine was always trying to put one over on her brother, who was hearing impaired. The best way was to make him look like an ass. Mexican food gave her possibilities: “Brian, it’s pronounced FaJEEtas!” or “It’s Jalapenos, with a J, haven’t you seen it written?” He was suspicious because he was a great lip reader and it didn’t look like anyone said it with a J sound. So to convince him she started saying it using the actual J sound instead of the H.
This stuck, and by the time I met her, after college, she was still doing it. It used to be a joke with us: “Wanna go get some Fuh-JEE-tas?” and now I can’t stop saying it that way. Sometimes I even forget to make a joke of it, and I’ve had people gently offer correction. Poor Cranky, the rube, can’t pronounce ethnic food correctly. Heh.
They give the pronunciation of “fracas” as ‘frA-k&s’ (or FRAY-kus) and the British pronunciation as ‘fra-"kä’ (or frah-KAH). So, you can go back to pronouncing it the way you used to.
Now, as for my name:
[Mr. Rogers]
Can you say “obfuscate”?
Good!
Can you say “psychiatrist”?
Oh, very good!
Now, can you say “obfusciatrist”?
Wonderful!
[/Mr Rogers]
-obfusciatrist (who wonders if that was funny or just insulting)
“Synthesiser” - no contest. The surname “Basingthwaighte” is a bummer as well.
I also have trouble asking for an “orange juice”, though I have no problem with either of those two words on their own.
Thank heavens I ended that internet romance with a girl in Hong Kong - her surname was Ng. euuggh
This whole thread reminds me of a phenomenon which seems to be common here in Australia. Folks from towns with names unlike their spelling never seem to want to tell people the correct way to pronouce them, then take a perverse delight in getting all indignant when out-of-towners mispronounce it. Canowindra is “Can-OUN-dra”.
Coolangatta is “cool-an-GATTA”, but Talangatta is “tal-LANG-gatta”. the first syllable of Albury rhymes with “ball”, but the first of Albany rhymes with “pal”. Newcastle is “new-cahhhstle”, but Castlemaine is “casssle-maine”. Does this happen elsewhere? Are these sad losers all over the globe?
and while we’re at Aussie town names…try Kyancutta; or Oodnadatta, Warramboo, Buckleboo; Minnipa; Wudinna; Ceduna or then there’s the Fruity sounding Town names…like Berri and Orange.
These all get a few variations… Depends on which syllable you put the emphasis!
which seems to be common here in Australia. Folks from towns with names unlike their spelling never seem to want to tell people the correct way to pronouce them, then take a perverse delight in getting all indignant when out-of-towners mispronounce it. Canowindra is “Can-OUN-dra”.