Mispronunciations: radio and TV news

[jon]

Then there is the issue of "taking sides" during a controversy about how to pronounce a local place name. Whichever way you say it, "the other side" is guaranteed to be offended.

In the early 1970s, Bill Bellman led a "movement" on his nightly CHQM editorial, Perspective, to change that the way you say Tsawwassen. To that point, on-air you always heard it start with a "T". Bellman claimed that the T is silent in the Native word from which the place name was derived, and the first sound should be "ssss".

[Sevareid]

Yes, Slowhand, you're probably right. It was more likely Pah-TOO-lah. I mispronounced the mispronunciation!

[Talker]

Tsawwassen should be pronounced starting with the 's'. I said it that way from the time I was a child spending summers on the beach there before the ferry terminal was built. When Bill Bellman issued his edict it had no impact on me whatsoever. For some reason the 't' was never dropped here. Washington State made changes to Salish, Salishan, Sarslip and more. I'd even guess Squamish once had a 't' at the front. Over the past decade or so there's been a movement to start spelling First Nations names the way they would (I guess). From my point of view, that makes them totally unpronounceable. Aim instead to spell them so that white men can say them with ease. Leave the native spelling to the natives. In any event, Tsawwassen should be pronounced with the 't' silent. Just like the 'p' in swimming.

[xwdcatvb]

Yes, Slowhand, you're probably right. It was more likely Pah-TOO-lah. I mispronounced the mispronunciation!

Well, a Huge Pile of locals, including broadcasters, have been murdering the name in that case.

Duff was long separated from whatever roots connected him to Italian usage. If you do a search, an indignant letter to 'Surrey Now' appears from a visitor claiming to have the same name, 'cept that person spells it 'Patullo'.

I was hauled over the coals early on for saying 'pah - TOO' - luh'... and informed in no uncertain words that locals say 'pah - TULL' - oh'.

NE1 have a copy of the CBC's local pronunciation guide?! Local usage applies, not strict language rules.

Jon: please check with your Mother...

[cart_machine]

Duff was long separated from whatever roots connected him to Italian usage.

Italian? His family was from Edinburgh, Scotland.

His name was originally pronounced Putt-OO-lo. It would appear it changed for some reason after he left Prince Rupert.

A number of local pronunciations have changed over time. The "g" in Elgin in South Surrey is now pronounced like a "j."
Jervis Street in Vancouver was pronounced as it would be in England, as was Derby Reach off Langley.

cArtie

[xwdcatvb]

Duff was long separated from whatever roots connected him to Italian usage.

Italian? His family was from Edinburgh, Scotland.

I didn't write that he was Italian, only that he was long separated from...

His name was originally pronounced Putt-OO-lo. It would appear it changed for some reason after he left Prince Rupert.

But thanks for confirming that the 'oo' sound was changed.

[Neumann Sennheiser]

Italian? His family was from Edinburgh, Scotland. cArtie

The Italian ethnic community of Scotland is disproportionately large and this goes back at least a couple of centuries.
The wave of 19th century emigration to escape poverty didn't only go to the Americas. Thousands of Italians came to Britain; in particular, to the industrial areas of West Scotland and South Wales, where the jobs were. There are stories, some based in fact I'm sure, of illiterate Italians sold passage to L'america only to be dumped on the docks of Glasgow and Cardiff. Some not even realizing the deception until long after their ship had departed.

[J Kendrick]

Shortly after the bridge was first opened in November of 1937... the locals started calling it the "Pay Toll O"...

[Talker]

I have no issue with Pa-tull-oh. What I hear a lot is Pa-tull-ah.

Abbots-ford comes out Abbots-ferd far too often.

On a few occasions I've heard Ga-lar-dee pronounced Gag-lar-dee. The former Flyin' Phil would roll over in his grave in Kamloops.

Given our melting-pot society, the least we can do is make an effort to get it right.

[radiofan]

There is an evening traffic person on NW/AM 730 that refers to the Cassiar Tunnel as the Cass-e-ayh Tunnel and Carrall Street in Gastown comes out as Ka-role.

[kal]

As heard on the 'NW 980 news this morning: "reconize" instead of "recognize."

[Talker]

Recon-ize is very common these day both on and off the air.

The on-air one that gets me every time is temp-a-chur. Even some meteorologists say it instead of tem-per-A-ture.

Time for schools to return to teaching phonics.

[the-real-deal]

Apparently, illiteracy with the English language is no longer limited to radio and television journalists. Our federal police force, the RCMP, have increasingly butchered the English language, with respect to police p.r. and press releases, over the years.

Here is the latest example, courtesy of Constable Jesse O’Donaghey of the Kelowna detechment:

The vehicles have been left "insecure" ? Really? Better get them a shrink, to deal with their insecurities !



August 11, 2016



West Kelowna – RCMP are encouraging residents in West Kelowna to secure their vehicles, remove any valuables from inside and report suspicious persons and activities to police.

Over a two week period, RCMP have generated as many as 21 police files after receiving reports of thefts being committed from vehicles across the City of West Kelowna, from the areas of Glenrosa to Rose Valley and Lakeview Heights. Thieves appear to have been targeting vehicles in both residential and business / commercial areas throughout the city.

“RCMP continue to remind vehicle owners to lock their vehicles, as the majority of those targeted had been left insecure and at times with windows down,” says Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey. “In most cases the thefts appear to have been committed overnight, however some thefts occurred while vehicles were left parked temporarily in store parking lots or at the beach,” he adds.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the West Kelowna RCMP at 250-768-2880. Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at http://www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.



Released by:

Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey


Media Relations

Kelowna RCMP / Government of Canada
Kelowna_Media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca / Tel.: 250-470-6361

Relations avec les médias

GRC de Kelowna / Gouvernement du Canada
Kelowna_Media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca / Tél.: 250-470-6361

RCMP-GRC / Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

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[slowhand]

Some of the problem is cultural among young people.

Case in point: the neighbour's daughter was 17 when I moved to my present place 4 years ago. She spoke very well at the time. Now, at 21, I have great difficulty understanding her at all. She speaks much faster and cuts off most of the words that she says.

[the-real-deal]

Dear owner of this site:

I have to say, this is most UN user friendly discussion forum of all time.

Therefore, it must win an award for censorship, in general.

- No opportunity to edit the post. One used to be able to, but, not now.

- No opportunity to delete the post. One used to be able to, but, not now.

For what reason, may I ask.

Completely unnecessary, Ted !