Why Do So Many Tv Presenters Mis-Pronounce So Many Common Words?

[Simphoniste]

For example, when spelling a word vocally, or reading abbreviations, such as HGV, they pronounce the first letter 'Haitch'.
You won't find 'haitch' in the dictionary, only the correct spelling aitch.

[Bobbisox1]

Try Ashington and Amble and up the Northumberland coast,they’ve got a language of their very own up there

[THECORBYLOON]

Would you say that folk saying the names of the letters "I" and "J" so that they rhyme, were wrong?

[naomi24]

Unless I’ve misunderstood, I can’t imagine how they can rhyme, Corby.

I - rhymes with fly

J - rhymes with hay

Have you an example of a word would they rhyme with?

[naomi24]

*they would*.

[THECORBYLOON]

Lots of Scots pronounce the letter "J" as "Ji" which rhymes with "eye".

There are other spellings such as "Jai" which I would pronounce as "Ji" but that might not be obvious to some folk.

[Bert45]

It is true that language evolves, we don't speak like Chaucer or Shakespeare or Dickens. But what I can't stand is when 51% of people pronounce a word incorrectly (to my ears), they become right and the 49% become wrong. Dictionaries are observatories, not conservatories,so they say, so the 'correct' pronunciation (and have you heard how many people thing that this word is spelled 'pronounciation'?) given in them reflects how people actually pronounce that word. But I don't know where they get their information from. How do they decide that the pronunciation of 'machismo' can ever be 'ma-kiz-mo'? Or that 'chorizo' should be pronounced 'cho-reet-so'. Both words are Spanish in origin, not Italian. (I've heard several people on TV, who should know better, pronounce them that way.) Everybody (apart from me) pronounces 'dissect' as 'die-sect' (to rhyme with 'bisect'). This should be a criminal offence, in my opinion. The Chambers Dictionary (1998) gives the 'correct' pronunciation as 'di-sekt'' (short i, accent on the second syllable), i.e. not reflecting the fact that everybody pronounces it as 'die-sect'. That link to the BBC mentions 'mischievous' being pronounced as if it were spelled 'mischievious'. This is pure ignorance, isn't it? These people must think it rhymes with 'previous', 'devious' and 'obvious'. Surely this will never be given as an acceptable pronunciation of the word.

[Cloverjo]

I think some West Midlands accents rhyme I and J as in
Oy and Joy

[goodgoalie]

I totally agree about 'mischievious', bert - that really pushes my buttons. Have heard a newsreader on BBC pronounce it that way.

Have also heard a TV reporter say 'grievious'.

[Canary42]

No, fork handles, handles for forks.

[Cloverjo]

Bert, how do you pronounce ‘machismo’?

Do you pronounce Paris as Paree, like wot the French duz?

(Kidding ;))

[naomi24]

Thanks, Corby, I've never heard of that.

[ichkeria]

It’s easier to say “A Haitch GV”
Slightly irritating but doesn’t bother me unduly

[New Judge]

//It’s easier to say “A Haitch GV”//

Indeed it is. But it’s wrong on two counts and if it was pronounced properly it wouldn't be difficult. It’s “aitch” not “haitch” and words that begin with a vowel should be preceded by “an” not “a”. Which brings me on to my second point, which is in a similar vein and which really annoys me. Many presenters seem to have not been taught that when using the definite article “the” before a word beginning with a vowel, it is pronounced “thee”, not “ther.”

[ichkeria]

I know
But the question was “why”

[New Judge]

//But the question was “why”//

As with most such things - it's because they've not been properly educated - in this case probably by their parents. It's nothing to do with the evolution of language. Until recently (say the last 5-10 years) "thee" was always used where appropriate. It's only in these last few years that "ther" has become common. This is something that should be taught well before school. It is a basic part of speech which infants should learn from their parents. Similarly with "haitch".

[ToraToraTora]

have you heard of these "Merberl Ferns"? - people oop north have them!

[Bobbisox1]

I haven’t but maybe up Ashington way do ;0)

[ladybirder]

LOL Tora. x

[Bobbisox1]

Up on the Northumberland coastal places like the above mentioned, all were mining communities and these proud men had a language of their own passed down through generations

[Bert45]

I think that the reason for 'haitch' is that the name of almost every consonant includes the sound of that letter, very often at the beginning: 'bee', 'cee', 'dee', gee, 'jay', 'kay' and so on. Sometimes the sound of the letter is at the end of its name: 'ef', 'el'. 'em', 'en' and so on. So some people get the idea that the name of 'h' should almost logically be 'haitch' (though, of course, the 'h' at the end is pronounced as part of the 'tch' group). Apparently, there are parts of the UK where 'haitch' is the predominant version.