Flight cancellations and mispronunciation

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

This morning while reporting on flight cancellations over the UK today because of volcanic ash from Iceland, Meredith Viera of NBC's Today Show pronounced Gatwick Airport as "Gate-wick"..................

[DanielParul 50]

Half the world pronounces half the names wrong. Its not the biggest crime in the grand scheme of things.

[Bernie C 24]

The "Hosts" are not required to pronounce words correctly - they are required to report on news and events and hopefully maintain and create viewership.

Inadvertently she just successfully got free advertisement for NBC and the "Today Show"

[Minya's wife 25]

Half the world pronounces half the names wrong. Its not the biggest crime in the grand scheme of things.

And reporters mispronounce names and get things wrong all the time. A good few years back I was watching a World Cup football (soccer) game in which the Romanian national team won. I don't remember who they were playing against, but in the waning few minutes of the game, the announcer (on air Live) stated some statistics associated with the win, how fans must be so happy about it and he said "People must really be celebrating this victory in Budapest right now!"

International level sports competition and the announcer gets the capital of one team's country completely wrong. Mispronunciation of an airport name is unfortunate but not as bad as, for example, stating that the airport closure was due to an ash spewing volcano in Greenland.

[Krikit 1,165]

I always get a chuckle out of mispronunciations. My favourite is when people make words up. lol. Alex Trebek always makes sure he has the pronunciation correct. Maybe they should have him report all the news. lol

[Justine+David 218]

Although it is somewhat understandable to mispronounce some words (I myself have been guilty of calling the Thames the "thaymes" instead of "tems")...how do you get gate-wick out of Gatwick? Doesn't the lack of an "e" make it an automatic short "a" as in apple?

But yanno...it's TV! I'd hope that if I was presenting that my behind-the-scenes folk would tell me correct pronunciations...of course I shouldn't be too lazy not to look them up myself It just looks so unprofessional.

[Krikit 1,165]

Although it is somewhat understandable to mispronounce some words (I myself have been guilty of calling the Thames the "thaymes" instead of "tems")...how do you get gate-wick out of Gatwick? Doesn't the lack of an "e" make it an automatic short "a" as in apple?

It's back to grade school I am. lol. One consonant following a vowel lengthens the vowel to the long form. A double consonant shortens it. So... if you follow those rules... she pronounced it correctly. Of course, we all know there are exceptions to those rules. Thaymes. lol

But yanno...it's TV! I'd hope that if I was presenting that my behind-the-scenes folk would tell me correct pronunciations...of course I shouldn't be too lazy not to look them up myself It just looks so unprofessional.

Totally.

Edited April 15, 2010 by Krikit

[Minya's wife 25]

It's back to grade school I am. lol. One consonant following a vowel lengthens the vowel to the long form. A double consonant shortens it. So... if you follow those rules... she pronounced it correctly. Of course, we all know there are exceptions to those rules. Thaymes. lol

Wait, Gatwick has two consonants following both its vowels...so it follows the rule, no?

Edited April 15, 2010 by Minya's wife

[Krikit 1,165]

Wait, Gatwick has two consonants following both its vowels...so it follows the rule, no?

Sorry. I obviously didn't explain that clearly enough. Why don't you know what I'm thinking? LOL. The "t" in Gatwick has to be doubled. As in Gattwick.

[Lansbury 19]

What's the world coming don't they know its proper name is Gatport Airwick

Edited April 15, 2010 by Lansbury

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Half the world pronounces half the names wrong. Its not the biggest crime in the grand scheme of things.

No, but it's funneh.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

What's the world coming don't they know its proper name is Gatport Airwick

I wonder what that fragrance smells like? Jet fuel?

[Nik+Heather 121]

I myself have been guilty of calling the Thames the "thaymes" instead of "tems"

I always wondered what the "Tims" was that I keep hearing about. LOL!!!!!

Maybe I shouldn't say stuff like that on the intarwebs - Nik might be embarrassed!

[MADforMEGHAN 0]

What's the world coming don't they know its proper name is Gatport Airwick

crack up

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I remember riding home on the DLR several years back, overhearing two Americans talking about where they needed to get off the train. One said to the other, "We need to get off at Cannery Wharf."

How a supposed native speaker of English can get "Cannery" from "Canary" is beyond me. You stress the same syllables in both countries!

Then again, I am an equal opportunity hater and will take up any and all opportunities to spread scorn and snottiness.