At 10:17 AM 25/09/2008 +0000, nicbordeaux wrote:
>It would be correct for an Englishman to pronounce Alex Singer the English
way.
>Nick March, Agen 47000, Lot et Garonne, France.
YES! I heartily agree with Nick!
And here is why: Unless someone has lived in a foreign country practically all their life and speaks the language with absolutely no accent, it's silly for them to attempt pronouncing foreign names "correctly" unless conversing with others in that language. Here in Canada we see a lot of that affectation by radio and TV reporters and newscasters, especially the CBC. Even CNN. These talking heads splutter and grimace while attempting to pronounce foreign (or French-Canadian) names, trying to be "sophisticated" and end up sounding like caricatures. It's so comical. Far better that they just say it the "English way", just like most of their audience would.
Of course, in the bicycle world there are many names so familiar that most everyone knows the "correct" pronounciation, but there are plenty of more obscure names where it's quite okay for an English speaker to say them the "English way". Do we even know how the French would say "Simplex" or "Cyclo" or should we care? I'm quite okay with René "Hearse" (so long as Mike still sends me a t-shirt). About the only one that grates on me is the North American "Pyoohzhow".
John Betmanis
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada