Which is it?

Post by **PeteC** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:57 am

Yesterday a presenter on BBC International clearly pronounced the word FILET, as it is spelled, rather than FILAY. Is the former acceptable pronunciation in the UK?

There is championship tennis going on in BASEL at the moment. An associate of mine who is Swiss pronounces it BAHL. Which is correct?

Anyone have anymore? Pete

Post by **billseymour** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:11 am

Both are correct.

BAHL is the pronunciation used by the French-speaking community (spelled Basle in French), and BASEL is the pronunciation used by the German-speaking community (spelled Basel in German).

Post by **billseymour** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:18 am

And even though I spent half my life in the UK, I can't help you on the other question.

I shall leave that to the experts.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:39 am

I think a similar thing is true for FILET - that is the French spelling but pronounced as you say as FILAY, but the English spelling is FILLET and pronounced as it is spelt. There are lots of similar words from French that people choose to use either the French or English pronunciation. I think English speaking people who use the French version are just poseurs though

Post by **Farang** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:54 am

Quelle poseurs?

Arcadian · Post by **Arcadian** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:35 pm

WL would go into a good restaurant and order fillet mig nonn?

Post by **dtaai-maai** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:00 pm

Arcadian wrote:WL would go into a good restaurant and order fillet mig nonn?

Oops, Arcadian - having a laugh at someone else's expense? I didn't think you approved...

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:15 pm

On the pronunciation issue, agree with most that has been said(most is acceptable now) and you have to take into consideration the 'colloquialism' factor aswell. This pronunciational difference can also be seen in the English language. In general English(native speakers) there are two main pronunciation accents, which are known as RP(Recieved Perception) which is the BBC accent, and GA(General American) which is(surprisingly) the Boston(USA) accent. The other English/American accents are all from a certain locality.

Most good modern dictionaries give the phonetic spelling for both(UK and USA) pronunciations. However, point out that both are correct.

Things are not always pronounced the way they are spelt, which can lead to confusion/ambiguity.

Have to agree with WL about using the French pronunciation if you're not French. Ponce, don't invite me for a beer. All French people forgiven, not aimed at you, no probs because it's natural for you.

Post by **bluezephyr** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:37 pm

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ3fjQa5Hls

Post by **dtaai-maai** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:26 am

RP = Received Perception? I don't think so, spitfire!

I agree that anyone who pronounces a French word like the French can only be a ponce. Rendezvous, laisser-faire, force majeur, lese majeste, 'je ne sais quoi', the list is sans fin...

Well known Politician in a Restaurant - a pretty waitress passes "Hey Miss, can I have a Quickie ?"
She turns and slaps his face! One of his aides whispers "No sir, it's pronounced Quiche!"

Nah, pronounce things the way they are written -

cough, bough, tough, though, through, etc... and they say Thai is difficult!

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:37 pm

Arcadian wrote:WL would go into a good restaurant and order fillet mig nonn?

Nah - I just point at the menu like what i does 'ere...

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:45 pm

A bit off thread but I heard a good one the other day in Thai. If you're stuck behind a slow driver and get the chance to pull up next to him at a stop, roll down your window and say "There's a turtle eating your tire!"

Indeed very Thai, polite,and very much to the point. I think in Thai it's something like Dao kien yaung. They do come up with good one's now and again. Pete

Post by **richard** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:50 pm

Where the wife comes from in north east Isaan the village is pronounced 'Barn suck a cow'

She thinks I come from 'alley fax in orksher'

Used to have a Scottish friend I played golf with in Zimbabwe who was a professor in linguistics and spoke many languages in many dialects. I could never understand his Glaswegian curses going round the course so he would repeat them in West and East Yorkshire dialect to me and occasionally Jordie

Made me feel so inadequate even though I always beat him at golf

Incidentally my brother who worked for the BBC world service showed me round the announcement consul one day. A prominent screen spelt out the text and it was in BBC English. It was a sin to mispronounce an important figures name. On one ocassion he got pissed off and spelt Mugabe backwards - E ba gum

Yes he was an orksher joker too

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:53 pm

dtaai-maai wrote:RP = Received Perception? I don't think so, spitfire!

My apologies DM, it's actually 'Received Pronunciation'. A while since I read all that sort of stuff.

Agree things would be a lot easier if they were pronounced the way they are spelt or vice versa. All those scholars haven't worked that one out yet.

Arcadian · Post by **Arcadian** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:56 pm

Dtaai Maai, now your`e stalking me! But seriously, if the French word is more appropriate why not use it, isn`t force majeure part of our legal jargon? To describe someone as a ponce because they know, and use the correct pronunciation is just inverted snobbery.

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