RTE Staff training on pronounciation

marieholmfan

Peregrinus wrote: »

The BBC takes these things seriously enough to have a Pronunciation Unit, which is staffed by three full-time phonetic linguists, plus a number of external contractors who are called in as required. They'll advise on any English or foreign word, although most of the time advice is sought on foreign words, especially personal and place-names. But they're at some pains to say that they are not interested in changing or "correcting" anyone's accent. If you ask, for example, where the stress goes in the word "controversy" they won't tell you where it "ought"; they'll find out the intended audience for the programme you're making, and then tell you where the majority of that audience are likely to expect it to go.

Frankly I think Irish people who worry about English pronunciation are the opposite of a Nietzschean Overman

Lapin

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

By the way, in Spanish paella is pronounced 'pah-eh-ya'. Two L's represent a 'y' sound.

True, twasn't the best example I could have given, but ya get my drift.

marieholmfan

Lapin wrote: »

True, twasn't the best example I could have given, but LLA get my drift.

LLES

Jellybaby1

Want another? Rialto! 'Ree' or 'Rye'? I have heard both. Another shuddering moment for me is when I hear someone pronounce Phibsborough/Phibsboro' as Fizzborough! :eek: All over the place I hear that, all the Irish radio stations. Forgive me if these have already been mentioned, I haven't read through all of this thread.

BarryD

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Oh dear, a war of words ensues! Perhaps the 'r' in Chapelizod is in fact, silent! And invisible!

I would say 'Ran-el-ah'. Ok, now surprise me!

Well, I grew up in neighbouring Rathmines and we would have learnt Ranelagh like 'Ren-el-ah' but I think your 'Ran-el-ah' is historically more correct.

The name I think has it's origins in south Wicklow in lands associated with the O'Byrne which were known as Gabhal Raghnaill. When their lands were confiscated, the name went with the new landowner styled as the Earl of Ranala. This family later sold up and moved to London where they developed Ranelagh Gardens etc there, whence the name was transferred back to Dublin by another developer of the new south side suburb, presumably thinking he was following a fashionable London name.

Notwithstanding above, I would have always heard 'wren' not 'ran' as first part.. but I'd be at a loss to say which is the correct way to say it now.

P. Breathnach

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Want another? Rialto! 'Ree' or 'Rye'? I have heard both. Another shuddering moment for me is when I hear someone pronounce Phibsborough/Phibsboro' as Fizzborough! :eek: All over the place I hear that, all the Irish radio stations. Forgive me if these have already been mentioned, I haven't read through all of this thread.

I'm fairly confident that it is "RYE-al-toe".

The Phibsborough one is a special case, I think. People from the area generally use the "FIZZ-boro" pronunciation; most of the rest of us say it as it is written. In my opinion, it would be better practice to regard Fizzboro as an informal local variant, and stick with the "as-it-is-written" pronunciation. But I wouldn't go to the wall over that one.

I have heard Ranelagh pronounced as REN-el-ah, most often by Dublin middle-class people (some of whom might live there). I suspect that paragon of pronunciation, Michael Murphy, uses the REN-el-ah version (echoes in my head, but it might just be "the voices" that speak to me at times).

Jellybaby1

Regarding 'Fizzborough', when you say 'general area' do you mean Phibsborough? I have heard it all over the place, by presenters, interviewers, interviewees etc., on Irish radio stations, not necessarily Dubliners either, but it is because they copy what Dubliners say but they are not all Phibsborough-ites!

P. Breathnach

I mean Phibsborough and its wider neighbourhood - Cabra, Stoneybatter, north inner city, and so on. I have noticed that some broadcasters use the FIZZ-boro version and, as I said, I wouldn't go to the wall over it.

But this Dublin native will continue to pronounce the "b".

Jellybaby1

And so will this Dub!

Dirty Dingus McGee

I don't think I've ever heard anyone pronounce "Portlaoise" as "Portlaoisah" except on RTE.

P. Breathnach

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I don't think I've ever heard anyone pronounce "Portlaoise" as "Portlaoisah" except on RTE.

You haven't heard me or Herself speak of the place. I think that many people who speak Irish with reasonable facility pronounce it in the Irish-language way.

born2bwild

I cannot abide the current standard pronunciation on RTE and elsewhere of the words 'down', 'brown', 'town', 'outbound' etc as 'dine', 'brine', 'tine', 'ite-bind'.

I no longer listen to radio of any kind because of this.

Well, apart from Lyric (but I suppose it's only a matter of time before the disease spreads there, too)

Jellybaby1

born2bwild wrote: »

I cannot abide the current standard pronunciation on RTE and elsewhere of the words 'down', 'brown', 'town', 'outbound' etc as 'dine', 'brine', 'tine', 'ite-bind'.

I no longer listen to radio of any kind because of this.

Well, apart from Lyric (but I suppose it's only a matter of time before the disease spreads there, too)

That's certainly news to me! I want to hear that. Which presenters pronounce 'brown' as 'brine'? Are you sure your dial isn't on BBC4 by mistake?

force eleven

Grievous - not 'grievious'...

Violent - not 'voilent'

Film - not 'fillum'

stefanovich

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

That's certainly news to me! I want to hear that. Which presenters pronounce 'brown' as 'brine'? Are you sure your dial isn't on BBC4 by mistake?

Sounds more like a norn iron accent.

Jellybaby1

Ahhh, that could be it!

Jellybaby1

I once heard a Norn Irish teacher say 'hye nye brine cye". Really creased me up!

Tigerbaby

+1 on Michael Murphy; an absolute joy to hear.

As a child, in 1960's Ireland way down in the sunny South-East, We had regular elocution classes as part of our normal Primary education. This was in a normal CBS School, by the way. Without being aware of it, I learned to enunciate clearly.

This led to me partaking in inter-schools debating in Secondary, and enjoying it. I also played Gaelic Football, Soccer and Boxing.

I am one of the very few people I know who actually enjoys speaking, and am regularly requested to do so at important functions.

Maybe the elocution had nothing to do with it, but it certainly gave me the confidence to breath and speak. So, yes, it has a part to play in helping the individual to express themselves.

NB.. As a young teenager, I used to scan the radio waves for good music, only available on "Caroline" at that time. I fell in love with the Shipping Forecast on BBC ( 4 or WS ?) as a result. What a relaxing way to drift off to sleep.

BarryD

force eleven wrote: »

Film - not 'fillum'

What's wrong with 'fillum' then? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. You can surely have no objection to Hiberno English.

I draw the line at creeping Americanisms and proper English just for the sake of it.

Mongarra

I think part of it is laziness. While I agree the correct pronunciation is "film" I find myself saying "fillum" sometimes as it is easier than the correct way, especially after a few glasses of Bordeaux!

Thanks a millun!

And don't start me on "kilometre".

BarryD

Mongarra wrote: »

I think part of it is laziness. While I agree the correct pronunciation is "film" I find myself saying "fillum" sometimes as it is easier than the correct way, especially after a few glasses of Bordeaux!

Are you sure you don't say 'fillum' 'cos that's the way the majority of Irish people say it?

robbok

RTE folk seem to be the only people in the country to pronounce the major Government party as " Fi Neh Gwale "
All news readers etc do it so it must be in some guide somwhere

Peregrinus

robbok wrote: »

RTE folk seem to be the only people in the country to pronounce the major Government party as " Fi Neh Gwale "
All news readers etc do it so it must be in some guide somwhere

RTE announcers are expected to be able to speak Irish, and to pronounce Irish words correctly.

robbok

Peregrinus wrote: »

RTE announcers are expected to be able to speak Irish, and to pronounce Irish words correctly.

It's more of a dialect thing than correct pronunciation , the Dublin 4 dialect says Gwale , I think the rest of the country says Gale

hullaballoo

robbok wrote: »

It's more of a dialect thing than correct pronunciation , the Dublin 4 dialect says Gwale , I think the rest of the country says Gale

It is down to dialect which way it's pronounced but it doesn't have anything to do with Dublin 4. Connaught Irish has the "gwayl" pronunciation, whereas in Munster, it's "gayl".

D4 doesn't have a recognised dialect unless you want to count the unusual accent you hear from students who learn Irish in South County Dublin Gaelscoileanna.

George White

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/?icid=hjx004 reminded of this

quintana76

Which is the correct pronunciation for the county Mayo or Mayoh. Seems RTE use the latter emphasis.

ford fiesta

has anyone heard the female "RTE Gold on RTE Radio One" voiceover during the overnights? she pronounces "One" as "Wen"