Tag Archives: Pronunciation Tip

Pronunciation tip: Canadian provinces, territories, and cities

Posted on November 12, 2023 | 1 comment

I made another pronunciation tip video, but this one is a bit different. Usually I’m doing tips for English speakers on how to say names from other languages. This time I’m doing place names that are in English (one variety thereof, anyway) but may not be familiar to English speakers from other places. If this one goes over well, I may do a sequel… I’ve already thought of some names that I missed that non-Canadians often get wrong!

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Pronunciation tip: How not to get shot in the Netherlands

Posted on November 6, 2023 | 1 comment

I’ve finally made another pronunciation tip video. This one is about how to say Dutch place names – at least close enough to the Dutch that you won’t sound like a German spy.

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Pronunciation tip: Irish counties

Posted on March 16, 2023 | 5 comments

It’s St. Patrick’s again, and why would I pass up a chance to do a pronunciation tip on something Irish? This time it’s the counties (and provinces) of Ireland. And although there are 32 of them (and four provinces), it’s a quick one!

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Pronunciation tip: 10 useful German words

Posted on February 13, 2023 | Leave a comment

My latest pronunciation tip is about 10 German words that I rather like and occasionally find the chance to use in English contexts: gemütlich, Sitzfleisch, Korinthenkacker, Sehnsucht, Weltschmerz, Kummerspeck, Schnapsidee, verschlimmbessern, fremdschämen, and Backpfeifengesicht. It includes a bit of background information too!

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Pronunciation tip: Uranus

Posted on January 15, 2023 | 1 comment

OK, we all know that there are two ways people pronounce Uranus. We may even have strong opinions on which is better. But are they both correct? Is one more correct than the other? Time to find out!

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Pronunciation tip: decisive, divisive, err

Posted on January 6, 2023 | Leave a comment

My latest pronunciation tip is about three words that my mother often corrected me on when I was young. I decided to bring the subject up again when I was visiting my parents… so this one has some cameos!

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Pronunciation tip: pronunciation

Posted on November 2, 2022 | 1 comment

Most of us, as kids, learned that it’s “pronunciation” and not “pronounciation.” But do you know why? And do you know why someone might think you’re saying one when you’re saying the other?

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Pronunciation tip: sbagliato

Posted on October 14, 2022 | Leave a comment

Recently Emma D’Arcy (of House of the Dragon) made a splash when they mentioned that their favourite drink for unwinding is a negroni sbagliato. I’m not here to tell you how to make cocktails – recipes are amply available online – but people are uncertain about how to say sbagliato, and that’s where I step in. Here’s my latest pronunciation tip.

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Pronunciation tip: Ancient Greek philosophers

Posted on June 4, 2022 | 1 comment

I’ve been wanting to do this pronunciation tip for a while, but I needed to wait until I could get my two friends to give the Classical and modern Greek pronunciations to go along with the English versions of the names. The time has come! (Advisory: The Greek pronunciations are for fun only. If you go around saying these names in those ways, no one will understand you and/or they’ll think you’re a pretentious weirdo.)

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Pronunciation tip: Dutch names

Posted on February 13, 2022 | Leave a comment

Any time I get to watch speed skating, I can’t help but notice two things: Dutch skaters are really good, and English-speaking announcers are really… challenged by Dutch names. So I decided to do a pronunciation tip that gives you a heads-up on some key details of Dutch pronunciation.

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