Why Are The B B C Allowing News Readers That Can't Pronounce Words On The Tv

[ToraToraTora]

Just watching one now "Yorrup" (europe) - "Clozer" (closer).

Are there no English people that speak English properly any more?

[Henry1865]

The BBC World Service should not be give voice to any people who don't speak standard English as many of its listeners abroad are trying to learn the  language. As a native Briton I find it hard to understand some of the contributors.

[bookbinder]

TTT at 16;12: I am right there with you! Falling standards are everywhere! Falling standards are becoming a national epidemic, and things can only get worse!

[Henry1865]

Interesting that Asia is increasingly being pronounced as Ayzha, but in David Attenborough's TV programme last night he used the traditional Aysha.

However he has followed the herd by now talking about evvolution. In black and white film of him as a young man included in a nature film televised about a year ago he was using the traditional English eevolution.

Americanese is everywhere. Before the Patriot missile was used in the Gulf war the weapon's word was always 'pattriot' but now always 'paytriot'.

The word research used to be reSEARCH, but now REEsearch, and so on.  

The Daily Mail is full of defense ... e.tc

[bednobs]

ah, but is it skedule or shedule?

[THECORBYLOON]

It's, "skedule"...

[Togo]

Gorra git daan wiv da yoof innit? 

[naomi24]

Schedule.  Americans say skedule.

[THECORBYLOON]

Makes more sense to pronounce it with a, "k", as in "school".

[New Judge]

“Do you want only English folk to read the news on the BBC?”

No. I want only people who can speak English that everyone else who speaks that language can understand. Many English people fail that test – some woefully.

“Do English folk not have accents?”

Yes they do. But those whom others cannot easily understand should be ruled out of the job.

Among the current collection of things that get on my nerves are those who insist on using the same version to pronounce “the” before a word beginning with a consonant as they do to pronounce it before a word beginning with a vowel. For example:

“I am going to “therr” supermarket” Correct.

“I am going to “therr” exhibition. Incorrect. It should be “thee” exhibition.

And please don’t start me off on “haitch”.

For those who say it doesn’t matter – it does. Because it gets on my nerves.

[10ClarionSt]

Peepul shud tork propor Inglish like as how as wot i duz. 

[THECORBYLOON]

NJ, why on earth do you pronounce, "the" with an, 'r" let alone two of them?

[New Judge]

I don't. I was trying to differentiate the pronunciation between the two versions (hence the inverted commas).

[THECORBYLOON]

What are the two r's meant to represent?

[New Judge]

Are you being deliberately facetious, Corby?

If not, I'm quite sure you understand what I'm trying to explain so how else would you differentiate (in writing) the pronunciation of the two versions?

[THECORBYLOON]

I am not being facetious. I would have used "the" and "thee".

[Peter Pedant]

NJ, why on earth do you pronounce, "the" with an, 'r" let alone two of them?

miss, let me answer that

it is all to do with rhotacism ( putting /r/s everywhere)

I thought he meant "their" and was complaining about the  flattening of the vowell to thurr- very scouse. Rhymes with burr - very odd to hear a girl called cluurr

The r has almost disappeared from father ( fatha) and mother ( mudda or muvva) - but should be included in " father rand mother"

deah has caused inordinate rage on AB instead of 'dear'

but intrusive /r/ - drorring room for the main room of the house. Drawing has only  one /r/

and altho westminster rand kensington is correct "- africa ' and new guinea" has a glottal stop - essex bo''le for bottle and wha' for what

[Peter Pedant]

some people say 'thee' when you wish to emphasise the noun

[New Judge]

"I am not being facetious."

Fair enough, Corby. Apologies. Uncalled for.

"I would have used "the" and "thee".

But "the" can be pronunced in two ways. How do you pronounce your one?

[THECORBYLOON]

You're saying some folk pronounce "the" the same way, regardless of whether it precedes a word starting with a vowel or no.

I use that same pronunciation unless it precedes a word starting with a vowel, in which case I pronounce it as "thee".

I had a look on the OED website where it provides audible pronunciations of words in its dictionary.

It shows the British English pronunciation of "the" preceding a vowel is not as clear as "thee" which it shows as being an American English pronunciation.

 

[THECORBYLOON]

I can't be doing with the IPA symbols and often see different symbols used for words that are claimed to have different pronunciations but when hearing them, they sound the same to me.

Anyway this is what the OED page shows for the pronunciations of, "the".

https://ibb.co/FwHgJrS