Finns have nothing to be ashamed of, even if they cannot pronounce all English words. The British can’t even pronounce all words correctly themselves, and especially place names.
Frome/London
Something some time ago I was traveling in the south west of England in the county of Somerset. I suggested to my traveling companion that how about we stop for a coffee in the historic small town of Frome:
“How about stopping at from?”
The English travel companion was quick to correct:
“It’s not from, darling. It’s frum.”
I did not take my peck. Most of my spoken English output would probably need some polishing.
The hurt was also mitigated by the fact that those born in Britain and native English speakers themselves do not always know how to pronounce all their words and especially their place names.
A few years ago the BBC newsthat Frome is even the most mispronounced place name in England.
Wrong on the list of those voted, Bicester is also among others, to which many Finnish tourists also take day trips to the flea market village.
It is Bisterno baizester.
To be clear: the italicized pronunciation examples in this article are not phonetic instructions, but the author’s subjective auditory images.
My personal favorites for mispronounced place names include Mousehole (that’s mauzlno mouth hole), Leominster (sweetieno exaggeration) and – a true classic – Towcester (dustlike a toaster, no backdrop).
Of course, I have pronounced all of these incorrectly myself. However, it is comforting that many Brits do too.
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Often, one of the syllables of the proper name is completely unpronounced.
Place names are particularly prone to mispronunciation, as the way of writing and speaking may have drifted apart over time. Often, one of the syllables of the proper name is completely unpronounced. A typical example of this is ces-byte.
Leicester is scumWorcester is wustö and Worcestershire wustöshö.
But when you build a Bloody Mary or Virgin Mary drink and season it with Worcestershire Sauce, shall we say? wustöshösoos or wustösosos?
Lord alone knows. The dictionary suggests the former, but the natives suggest the latter.
Of course you don’t even have to go into the specifics before the pronunciation produces difficulties.
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, seems to be difficult even for many English people. I say edin brobut the locals swallow some of this as well.
The pronunciation of Salisbury had to be learned en masse when the city was in the news four years ago due to the Russian poisoning cases. Soolsbör. Or thereabouts.
I myself have made a habit of asking the locals about the correct pronunciation. If I arrive in a new place, I want to know at least two things: how to pronounce the name of the place, and what local newspaper is read there.
Of course you don’t even have to travel outside of London before the pronunciation causes problems.
According to the locals, even many English people from other parts of the world cannot pronounce the following London districts: Southwark, Greenwich and Ruislip.
You can forget the letter w in the first two: sathek and grenich. Ruislip is said to be rape.
I always remember my many mistakes best: the ticket seller probably laughed when I tried to pronounce proper names Euston (it’s cheeseno of the scrotum) and Marylebone (country No sea bou).
And if you ask which railway station is the most convenient for going to London Seamen’s Church, I am happy to advise in writing: It is Rotherhithe.
I can’t pronounce it.
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