Saturday, February 02, 2008

New Poll, And a Useful Site for Us Yanks

Finally, there's a new poll in the sidebar. Keep scrolling down, you'll find it!

In getting ready for my reading (look in the trusty sidebar), I ran across this Wikipedia site that I found useful: embedded pronunciations of UK place names. I feel much better knowing how to pronounce "Berwick" and "Hereford" now! (Unless this is some sort of sinister conspiracy to delude us poor Americans into thinking we're pronouncing the names the right way, when we're really not. Nah. Must be too much Fox News in the background today.) It needs some adding to, though, so if you know how to pronounce "Warwick," I'm sure someone will appreciate your input!

7 comments:

Kathryn Warner said...

Warwick = 'worrik'. I'm half-convinced that British placenames were designed to be impossible for tourists to pronounce correctly, so that we locals can have a good laugh at them. ;) For example, Magdalen College at Oxford is pronounced 'maudlin'.

Bet you can guess who I voted for in the poll! ;)

Marg said...

I pronounce it Worrik as well!

Just wanted to say good luck on your signing today!

Susan Higginbotham said...

Thanks, ladies!

Alianore, you voted for Isabella, right? (Ducks)

Carla said...

If you think English is hard, try Welsh and Gaelic place names....

Agreed with the earlier commenters about the pronunciation of Warwick.

A question about your poll. Worst press they didn't deserve (i.e. most calumniated royal), or worst press they probably did deserve (i.e biggest villain)? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

How cool, I hope they're doing it for different countries!

I do struggle with many of the Scottish place-names, though if anyone wants a hand with the English ones just drop me an email ;)

Susan Higginbotham said...

Carla, I was thinking of undeserved bad press, but others may be putting a different interpretation on it, I suppose. Ah, the perils of polling!

Alison, I'll keep that in mind. (I was so proud that I learned how to say Her-uh-ford!)

Lucy said...

Hi Susan , English place names must be a nightmare - the US method of spelling as it sounds is so much more sensible. In UK 'Derby' is pronounced Darby in US it's Derby. But we Brits have history to contend with - and old English, French and latin derivations etc etc. A New World releases you from all that!
Lucy
www.lucyannwrites.blogspot.com