Thread: Pronunciation

John, to me, Glenalvin looks the same as Glenalvin. Am I missing something?

Don’t the British pronounce “Launceston” as “Lonst’n”?

Originally Posted by Saitch

Keswick, in the UK (which I assume is the original) is pronounced 'Kes-ick'. .

It never ceases to amaze me, how often the Poms pinch place names from us.

Originally Posted by p38arover

Don’t the British pronounce “Launceston” as “Lonst’n”?

As far as I know, the Cornish pronounce it "Lawnst'n".

Originally Posted by p38arover

John, to me, Glenalvin looks the same as Glenalvin. Am I missing something?

No, I'm missing something! Original now edited to Glenaluin for the maps.

Narrandera which is pronounced similar to "verandah " when I saw it on a map, I think I pronounced every syllable incorrectly when asking a lollipop lady at some road works how long it would take to get there. While travelling in the Antipodes, I've found Kiwis to be particularly obtuse regarding pronunciation, and I've had exchanges like, "Which way to the park?"
A "Pardon"
Q "National Park?"
A "What?"
Q "National Perk" (thinking I'm saying it wrong)
A "What?"
Q "National Purk"
A "What?"
Q "National Pirk"
A "Sorry I don't understand".

My Mum, who spoke very " correct " English ( impossible, imo ), told a story of an Englishman having dinner with his American girlfriend's family. They asked him what he did for a living. He replied, I'm a clerk. They said, " a what" He repeated that he was a clerk. They said, you mean like the thing on the wall that goes "tick, tark?".

I grew up saying 'darnce' and plarnt' etc. That was ok at a posh school; not so good in the Army where people looked at me as if I had just beamed down from the Enterprise.

In Melbourne we have a suburb called Malvern. In Adelaide they have one as well. Do they sound the same? Nope.

In Melbourne we have a suburb called Berwick. In Perth I was talking to my in-laws about a street I had used as a short cut called Berwick road. They couldn't work it out until I spelled it for them. "Oh, you mean Burr Wick?" No, I mean Berrik.

Sigh.

Do you know the old description of the relation between Britain and the USA?

"Two countries separated by a common language"

The same could be said for two states here, especially when it comes to pronunciation of place names.