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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Embedded Mispronunciations
This morning I heard a BBC World Service announcer made reference to "Oppra" Winfrey, and it led me to wonder how that pronunciation became embedded in BrE and why it persists.
I assume the first few references to her in the UK were in print and "Oppra" was the natural assumption. However I would have thought by now that everyone knows how Oprah pronounces her name, and the correction would have been made but apparently not.
In a similar vein, I remember when "macho" gained widespread currency in the US, many BrE speakers said "makko" before the more usual "matcho" supplanted it. Place names come to mind, too. Many AmE speakers have a hell of a time with "Worcestershire" and BrE speakers often mangle "Houston."
And that all led me to wonder how such pronunciations and mispronunciations get embedded in the first place.
It seems it doesn't take long at all for a new or previously unfamiliar word from elsewhere to establish itself and get a local pronunciation, but if that local pronunciation turns out to be wrong or correct but in the minority it may never get changed. But then, sometimes it does who says "makko" in the UK these days?
Does anyone have thoughts about this process?
Can anyone point to other examples?
I assume the first few references to her in the UK were in print and "Oppra" was the natural assumption. However I would have thought by now that everyone knows how Oprah pronounces her name, and the correction would have been made but apparently not.
In a similar vein, I remember when "macho" gained widespread currency in the US, many BrE speakers said "makko" before the more usual "matcho" supplanted it. Place names come to mind, too. Many AmE speakers have a hell of a time with "Worcestershire" and BrE speakers often mangle "Houston."
And that all led me to wonder how such pronunciations and mispronunciations get embedded in the first place.
It seems it doesn't take long at all for a new or previously unfamiliar word from elsewhere to establish itself and get a local pronunciation, but if that local pronunciation turns out to be wrong or correct but in the minority it may never get changed. But then, sometimes it does who says "makko" in the UK these days?
Does anyone have thoughts about this process?
Can anyone point to other examples?
Top answer
[nq:1]I assume the first few references to her in the UK were in print and "Oppra" was the natural assumption. [/nq] I don't think I've ever heard her speak. Should I have?
- [nq:1]I assume the first few references to her in the UK were in print and "Oppra" was the natural assumption.
- [/nq] I don't think I've ever heard her speak.
- Should I have?
- Should I care?
- Assuming I did care, just for a moment, how should I pronounce her name?
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161 Answers
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[nq:1]I assume the first few references to her in the UK were in print and "Oppra" was the natural assumption. ... now that everyone knows how Oprah pronounces her name, and the correction would have been made but apparently not.[/nq]
I don't think I've ever heard her speak. Should I have? Should I care? Assuming I did care, just for a moment, how should I pronounce her name?
[nq:1]Place n
I don't think I've ever heard her speak. Should I have? Should I care? Assuming I did care, just for a moment, how should I pronounce her name?
[nq:1]Place n
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[nq:2]I assume the first few references to her in the ... the correction would have been made but apparently not.[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't think I've ever heard her speak. Should I have? Should I care? Assuming I did care, just for a moment, how should I pronounce her name?[/nq]
I think you'll find it's rather clear that my questions didn't have much or anything to do with whether or not you hav
[nq:1]I don't think I've ever heard her speak. Should I have? Should I care? Assuming I did care, just for a moment, how should I pronounce her name?[/nq]
I think you'll find it's rather clear that my questions didn't have much or anything to do with whether or not you hav
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[nq:1]This morning I heard a BBC World Service announcer made (sic) reference to "Oppra" Winfrey, and it led me to wonder how that pronunciation became embedded in BrE and why it persists.[/nq]
Curiously, Ms. Winfrey's seems to represent a misapprehension of the biblical name .
Curiously, Ms. Winfrey's seems to represent a misapprehension of the biblical name .
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[nq:2]This morning I heard a BBC World Service announcer made ... that pronunciation became embedded in BrE and why it persists.[/nq]
[nq:1]Curiously, Ms. Winfrey's seems to represent a misapprehension of the biblical name .[/nq]
Could be, but I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn." no idea if they are legot, however. Maybe someone can elucidate.
[nq:1]Curiously, Ms. Winfrey's seems to represent a misapprehension of the biblical name .[/nq]
Could be, but I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn." no idea if they are legot, however. Maybe someone can elucidate.
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[nq:2]Curiously, Ms. Winfrey's seems to represent a misapprehension of the biblical name .[/nq]
[nq:1]Could be, but I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn." no idea if they are legot, however. Maybe someone can elucidate.[/nq]
A quick mini-google gets a fair number of hits for Oprah as a Hebrew girl's name. Also Ofrah and Ophrah.
[nq:1]Could be, but I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn." no idea if they are legot, however. Maybe someone can elucidate.[/nq]
A quick mini-google gets a fair number of hits for Oprah as a Hebrew girl's name. Also Ofrah and Ophrah.
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[nq:1]However, let's not forget Houston Street in New York which bamboozles many outsiders including Scots, I wouldn't wonder.[/nq]
True. It's "Hozzna", according to some.
True. It's "Hozzna", according to some.
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[nq:2]However, let's not forget Houston Street in New York which bamboozles many outsiders including Scots, I wouldn't wonder.[/nq]
[nq:1]True. It's "Hozzna", according to some.[/nq]
Not to be confused with hizzoner the mayor.
[nq:1]True. It's "Hozzna", according to some.[/nq]
Not to be confused with hizzoner the mayor.
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[nq:1]I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn."[/nq]
Verb or noun?
SAm.
Verb or noun?
SAm.
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[nq:1]I would have thought by now that everyone knows how Oprah pronounces her name, and the correction would have been made but apparently not.[/nq]
I.e. usage weighs more than private impressions.
But we knew that. . .
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
I.e. usage weighs more than private impressions.
But we knew that. . .
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
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[nq:2]I've also seen references to "oprah" being a Hebrew word meaning "fawn."[/nq]
[nq:1]Verb or noun?[/nq]
I don't know, but the context was names, so I would guess noun.
[nq:1]Verb or noun?[/nq]
I don't know, but the context was names, so I would guess noun.
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