The butchering of foreign words

Morricone · 10-02-2012 10:50PM #1

It really grinds my gears when I hear words from different languages being mispronounced and butchered by speakers of the English language. Its annoying to hear words being pronounced completely incorrectly especially after being corrected.

Bruschetta is one, it should be pronounced brus-ketta as the ch in Italian is pronounced as a k.

Fajitas is another with the hard J being pronounced when it should be soft. Tortilla with the double l pronounced as it is in English when as a Spanish word it should be pronounced Tort-iya.

Jalapeño is another one, I've heard it pronounced wrongly with a hard J and with the ñ mispronounced. It should be pronounced as if there is a y behind the n, i.e Jalapenyo.

I've seen Habanero written with an ñ for whatever unfathomable reason I don't know.

Have the good folk of After Hours got any more to add to the list?

Does it annoy you as much as it annoys me?

Sunnyisland · 10-02-2012 10:51PM

It really gets on my tits ok.

summerskin · 10-02-2012 10:52PM

Not annoying

Morricone wrote: »

It really grinds my gears when I hear words from different languages being mispronounced and butchered by speakers of the English language. Its annoying to hear words being pronounced completely incorrectly especially after being corrected.

Bruschetta is one, it should be pronounced brus-ketta as the ch in Italian is pronounced as a k.

Fajitas is another with the hard J being pronounced when it should be soft. Tortilla with the double l pronounced as it is in English when as a Spanish word it should be pronounced Tort-iya.

Jalapeño is another one, I've heard it pronounced wrongly with a hard J and with the ñ mispronounced. It should be pronounced as if there is a y behind the n, i.e Jalapenyo.

I've seen Habanero written with an ñ for whatever unfathomable reason I don't know.

Have the good folk of After Hours got any more to add to the list?

Does it annoy you as much as it annoys me?

Pyoo-fnucking-jo!

Aaaaarrggghhh!

John Doe1 · 10-02-2012 10:54PM

I hate it when people are pedantic assholes:p

phoenix833 · 10-02-2012 10:57PM

Atari Jaguar, etc.

You best not watch an episode of Only Fools & Horses

Pedantic haemorrhage

Morricone · 10-02-2012 10:57PM

Not annoying

John Doe1 wrote: »

I hate it when people are pedantic assholes:p

Pedantic it maybe but the words should be pronounced properly.

Its not a difficult thing.

I am pie · 10-02-2012 11:00PM

Atari Jaguar, etc.

I am glad it annoys you.

SafeSurfer · 10-02-2012 11:01PM

Paddy: Can I have a gateaux please. ( Paddy doesn't realise the x is silent)

Snooty shopkeeper: Actually its Gateaux (silent x)

Paddy: In that case give us a gateaux (silent x) you bollix (silent x).

Morricone · 10-02-2012 11:01PM

Not annoying

I am pie wrote: »

I am glad it annoys you.

Have you a problem?

Mr Benevolent · 10-02-2012 11:02PM

Morricone wrote: »

Pedantic it maybe but the words should be pronounced properly.

Its not a difficult thing.

Pronounce 'Eyjafjallajökull' flawlessly and come back to us when you're a little less idiotically arrogant.

Oh, and this is the English language. We butcher every word for fun. Your native language will not survive the onslaught.

Snowie · 10-02-2012 11:05PM

damm my dyslexia i read

butchering of foreign workers or maybe I'm watching to much dexter hmmm...

starbelgrade · 10-02-2012 11:06PM

Morricone wrote: »

Does it annoy you as much as it annoys me?

This thread is aññoyiñg me.

firefly08 · 10-02-2012 11:06PM

OP, how do you pronounce words such as baguette, deja vu, entrepreneur etc.?

Spolier: if you pronounce them "correctly" you sound like an idiot.

phoenix833 · 10-02-2012 11:08PM

Atari Jaguar, etc.

Oh come on OP have you even been to a foreign county and heard somebody there try to pronounce an English word?

Or better yet an Irish word? An Irish person trying to pronounce Fajita or Bruschetta could not possibly sound worse than somebody trying to saying an Irish word.

Like Geansaí. I'm sure you'd get a few "Jeans-eye":D

Doc Daneeka · 10-02-2012 11:08PM

Why should they be? How can you expect the general population of an English speaking country to intuitively know how to pronounce these foreign words? Think I might just order some bread and tomatoes next time I'm in the restaurant so as not to offend you.

Teyla Emmagan · 10-02-2012 11:09PM

Not annoying

I only agree with people who pronounce any word the same way I do.

Everyone else is just WRONG.

It's a simple philosopy but it works for me.

Snowie · 10-02-2012 11:12PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

This thread is aññoyiñg me.

will you ever put your rantie panties away Im hear talk to uncle snowie :pac:

*taps lap

Rumple Fugly · 10-02-2012 11:12PM

How are you pronouncing philosopy there?

Morricone · 10-02-2012 11:12PM

Not annoying

firefly08 wrote: »

OP, how do you pronounce words such as baguette, deja vu, entrepreneur etc.?

I pronounce deja vu with an elongated u akin to the way view is pronounced in the English language.

Baguette I pronounce, slightly differently to the general pronounciation and I would pronounce entrepreneur as per social convention.

swimming in a sea · 10-02-2012 11:15PM

the girls name siobhan, what's wrong with shevon,,, very strange these ethnic names

Teyla Emmagan · 10-02-2012 11:17PM

Not annoying

Rumple Fugly wrote: »

How are you pronouncing philosopy there?

Oh yeah.

Not too good for a girl with a degree in the aforementioned subject

.

I should start drinking.

My name is URL · 10-02-2012 11:17PM

Say la vee, OP

A chicken's on goot

firefly08 · 10-02-2012 11:17PM

I pronounce deja vu with an elongated u akin to the way view is pronounced in the English language.

Incorrectly then yeah?

Baguette I pronounce, slightly differently to the general pronounciation and I would pronounce entrepreneur as per social convention.

Social convention in which country?

EGAR · 10-02-2012 11:17PM

You forgot the option "Hilarious" in your poll.

Morricone · 10-02-2012 11:19PM

Not annoying

firefly08 wrote: »

Incorrectly then yeah?

Social convention in which country?

I don't pronounce deja vu incorrectly. What do you think is the 'correct pronunciation.

Social convention in English speaking lands.

firefly08 · 10-02-2012 11:23PM

I don't pronounce deja vu incorrectly. What do you think is the 'correct pronunciation.

The way French people pronounce it. I think I have a strong case here.

Social convention in English speaking lands

...despite none of these words being English?

This seems to be the very thing you were complaining about in the first place.

Teyla Emmagan · 10-02-2012 11:28PM

Not annoying

Morricone wrote: »

Baguette I pronounce, slightly differently to the general pronounciation

Ah c'mon, what does that sound like exactly? A silent 'tt' or something?!

"Howya Mary, can I've a chicken filleh bagueh with a soide of wedges pliz?"

Morricone · 10-02-2012 11:29PM

Not annoying

firefly08 wrote: »

The way French people pronounce it. I think I have a strong case here.

...despite none of these words being English?

This seems to be the very thing you were complaining about in the first place.

I understand these words are not English.

However from a very young age the English pronounciation of entrepreneur has been embeded into my mind and were I to pronounce it according to the French pronounciation I don't think I would be properly understood.

Thus I elect to conform to social convention and pronounce the word as per how society pronounces it in order to make myself properly understood.

RonMexico · 10-02-2012 11:31PM

I remember one time over in the states I mispronounced something on the menu at Taco Bell and the Mexican guy working there asked me where I was from. When I said Ireland he replied - "You speak good American."

Then he gave me free fries with my order :pac:

RichieC · 10-02-2012 11:36PM

Atari Jaguar, etc.

You pronounce the t in moet. Never let some snob tell you that you don't.

Morricone · 10-02-2012 11:38PM

Not annoying

RichieC wrote: »

You pronounce the t in moet. Never let some snob tell you that you don't.

I do infact as Moet is a Dutch name hence the t is pronounced.

The butchering of foreign words

Foreign words being mispronounced 121 votes

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