standard pronunciation in England
 

Great site--lots of fun!!!

http://www.howjsay.com/

This is very useful - esp for people not from the US east coast (since we have a lot of similar names we know that Greenwhich has no "w" in it, etc.) I remember - some years ago - standing behind an american tourist in the booth in the tube asking for a ticket to Leicester as Lie - cest - her - and the clerk trying to keep a straight face (it's pronounced Lester). Cholmondeley (Chumly) is another favorite.

Thanks, CaliNurse. My first thought was that there are no standards, but perhaps that's a little harsh. :D

One or our first trips was to Alnwick. Two silent letters in that one.

Hey Indy, saw your TR last night. LOL Chevy Chase!

NYT and Indy, conversely, a friend from UK visited he loved the music of "Dionne Warrick"

Or there's the way Brits pronounce "Don Juan"

I remember that there use to be an advert on British TV some years ago for Worcestershire Sauce (pronounced in the UK as woostershire), she pronounced it woo-ses-ter-shire, used to make me chuckle every time.

I should have added that "she" was American.

"Or there's the way Brits pronounce "Don Juan"

Not to mention faJitas :-)

It is a lovely subject, how come the website is so badly designed? So many more fun ways of doing this.

Yes, nytraveler, many of our east coast place names are pronounced as in England. Gloucester (Gloster). However, on Cape Cod Harwich is pronounced as it is spelled: Har-wich, but in England it is something like Hare-ich. In Vermont it is Nor-wich; England,sort of between Nor-ich and Nor-idge. At least that is the way it comes through on my receptors.

So I just go along and listen for local pronunciations and hope I don't offend anyone in the meantime.

Here's a joke that might work for any dual-pronunciaton site. I heard it in reference to a small South Texas town spelled Refugio.

Two guys were sitting in the local hamburger joint, arguing over how to pronounce the name of the town.

Guy 1--No, I have a friend who grew up here. It's (you could insert any spot's alternate pronunciation) REE-FOO-GEE-O.

Guy 2--You're wrong. My aunt still lives here and it's REH-FURE-EE-O.

They argued until an employee walked by and they caught her attention. "Oh, pardon us, we were wondering how to say the name of the place where we are?"

She looked at them with raised eyebrows and said, "DARE-EE KWEEN."

<i>standard pronunciation in England</i>

It's different in Scotland - and I'm assuming Wales and Northern Ireland as well

Teexas, thanks for a morning chuckle!

" there use to be an advert on British TV some years ago for Worcestershire Sauce ("

Really?

In England, it's pronounced "Lea and Perrins". Occasionally "Worcester Sauce". But NEVER "Worcestershire Sauce", even if it's written that way

and then there's ALUMINUM

"" there use to be an advert on British TV some years ago for Worcestershire Sauce ("

Really?"

Yes, really. It was a Lea & Perrins advert, probably late eighties early nineties, the pronunciation was correct from the voice over man but the African-American woman pronounced it the wrong way. I remember that there was also a reference to Lea & Perrins Steak Sauce (which they marketed in the States). It was just a bit of mickey taking out of our American cousins, just like the "are you Lord Tankard" Whitbread ad in the early 80's, ah those halcyon day, before the PC brigade took over.

"and then there's ALUMINUM"

You've left an "I" out. :-) :-)

There's lieutenant which always strikes me as a description of a homeless guy living in a toilet

>>There's lieutenant which always strikes me as a description of a homeless guy living in a toilet<<

Try saying that in Gosport.

And the south of the border pronunciation of Jesus.

Or there's the way Brits pronounce "Don Juan">>

how do you think we pronouce it?

there is no more a standard way of pronouncing english in the UK than there is in the US. accents are infinitely variable, even on the BBC. but there is one thing we are agreed on, if nothing else - it is "WUSTER" sauce, or Lea and Perrins.