# pronunciation



## dollyclare (17 Nov 2005)

Can anyone tell me how to pronounce(phonetically) echinacea,Secausus(new Jersey)?


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## delgirl (17 Nov 2005)

Everybody seems to pronounce it differently - although if you Google it...
ek-in-ashe-a.


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## brodiebabe (18 Nov 2005)

Anyone know how to pronounce Chesapeake Bay?


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## efm (18 Nov 2005)

Secau*C*us is pronounced - Se-kaw-kus (and yes it's in new Jersey)

Chesapeake is pronounced - Chess-a-peek

Any more ??


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## dollyclare (22 Nov 2005)

just for fun.Why is Kansas pronounced cans-iss and Arkansas -Ar-can-saw!!!!


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## extopia (22 Nov 2005)

Actually Chesapeake is more like CHEZ-apeak. And Kansas is KANZ-us


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## franmac (22 Nov 2005)

Like in Australia Cairns is pronounced as Cans.


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## extopia (23 Nov 2005)

RTE repeatedly mispronounced New Orleans (saying "New or-LEENS" instead of "New OR-lins") during the recent disaster. The BBC mispronounced at first, but quickly changed to the correct pronunciation (correct being what the locals call it).


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## gearoidmm (23 Nov 2005)

All the British media seemed to be pronouncing it New orlee-ANS - don't know where that came from


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## car (23 Nov 2005)

[broken link removed]

if youre into that type of thing, put mother tongue on your xmas wish list.


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## extopia (23 Nov 2005)

Perhaps the BBC are reverting to the original French pronunciation? That would be going a bit to far!


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## franmac (23 Nov 2005)

The RTE announcers consistently refer to Palmerstown as Palmerston.


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## franmac (23 Nov 2005)

Before the critics reply I am referring to Palmerstown in West Dublin. I know there is a Palmerston in another area in Dublin.


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## ClubMan (24 Nov 2005)

Have you ever noticed how many people refer to _Beaumont _as _Beamount_?


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## ajapale (24 Nov 2005)

People refering to the Gardai as the Gadai, a case of Cops and Robbers perhaps.


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## Thirsty (24 Nov 2005)

Listen to Louis Armstrong - he sings it as 'down in New orLEANS'


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## extopia (24 Nov 2005)

So does Paul Simon. Poetic license I suppose. The colloquial pronunciation, as I say, is New OR-lins. Local African Americans say N'AWlins.


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## ClubMan (24 Nov 2005)

ajapale said:
			
		

> People refering to the Gardai as the Gadai


When _Emer O'Kelly _used to read the news on _RTÉ _she somehow managed to pronounce it _"Nggawdee"_. My attempt at a phonetic spelling probably doesn't do her pronunciation justice (no pun intended).

Speaking of _"Or-Tea-Eee"_ are all emloyees trained to pronounce it _"Aaah-Tea-Eee"_ as part of the induction process when they are hired?


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## dollyclare (24 Nov 2005)

franmac said:
			
		

> Before the critics reply I am referring to Palmerstown in West Dublin. I know there is a Palmerston in another area in Dublin.


Palmerstown is Dublin 20.Palmerston road is Dublin 6.
How do you pronounce falafel?


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## extopia (25 Nov 2005)

message deleted see below (Brendan can we get rid of the 10 characters rule please?)


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## ClubMan (25 Nov 2005)

dollyclare said:
			
		

> How do you pronounce falafel?


Deep fried sawdust.


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## extopia (25 Nov 2005)

F∂-LAH-f∂l

The ∂ is an unstressed syllable for those of you not in the know! Like the first o in "potato".


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## landlord (14 May 2006)

I had heard echinacea pronounced as eck-in-aisa


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## brodiebabe (15 May 2006)

How do you pronounce Focaccia? As in the bread.  I have heard 
Fo-Ca- sia  as well as Fo-ca- chia.


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## ragazza (16 May 2006)

Foccacia is pronounced "fo-ca-chia".

On the food theme, "Bruschetta" is pronounced "brus-KE-ta" not "brus-CHET-ta"..


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## casiopea (16 May 2006)

Yup, as ragazza said: fo-ca-chia where chia is prounced "cha" (not key-aaaa) as in the dance  step cha-cha-cha


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## brodiebabe (16 May 2006)

What about Ciabatta?


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## DrMoriarty (16 May 2006)

'Cha-BATT-a'


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## Purple (16 May 2006)

Spot on Dr.M. I shudder when I hear Key-a-Bata.


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## Betsy Og (16 May 2006)

What about:

Hang sangwidge and a mug a tay  

High falutin' I-talian bread with ye


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## Gordanus (17 May 2006)

Italian is written phonetically.   'c' is always soft  and pronounced the way our usual 'ch' is said as in cha-cha-cha above; 'ch' is always hard as in chemist.  there are a few exceptions which I don't remember.    No spelling problems for Italian kids!


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## DrMoriarty (17 May 2006)

Gordanus said:
			
		

> 'c' is always soft and pronounced the way our usual 'ch' is said...


...before a _slender_ vowel (*i* or *e*, as in '*ci*ao', '*ce*nto anni', etc.). It's hard — i.e. pronounced 'k' — before a _broad_ vowel (*a*, *o* or *u*; as in '*ca*sa', '*co*sa', '*cu*riosa'). And 'ch' is always hard (as in '*ch*iesa' [kye-za]).

But you're right, Italian pronunciation/spelling is extraordinarily regular, compared to any of the other Romance languages (never mind the likes of English!)

Repeat after me, now: _'Davvero, il Dottor' Moriarty è tutto casa e chiesa..!'  _


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## Gordanus (18 May 2006)

Thanks Dr M.   Sei molto gentile.  Grazie tanto.     As I remember Spanish is also quite straightforward.  As for non-Romance languages, German is also phonetic - just break those long words down!


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