I was just wondering why some names cant be pronounced in England but they can in Ireland such as the irish gardening guy Diarmuid Gavin is known as Dermot Gavin in England and Diarmuid in Ireland which is actually his real name.
He was on the weakest link once and Anne Robinson tried to pronouce Diarmuid but she couldnt say it.
2007-09-15 09:41:15 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
They have a similar problem with Dara O'Brien's name. They get the surname ok, but they elongate the first "a" in Dara, but it shouldn't be, its almost a one syllable name.
They ignore any attempt to pronounce names correctly unless it is from France or Germany, they just try to pronounce Irish and other former colonial countries names as if they were English.
2007-09-17 01:38:46 · answer #1 · answered by eorpach_agus_eireannach 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some names can't even be pronounced by people in different parts of Ireland. I know someone with a common enough Irish name, and relatives in Northern Ireland couldn't even attempt to pronounce it. You'd probably find it hard to pronounce some French or Spanish names.
2007-09-16 08:25:44 · answer #2 · answered by murnip 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The English seem to be inhibited when it comes to pronouncing names in other languages. They don't even try. Anne Robinson is a good mimic and she would have been perfectly capable of pronouncing that name correctly, but she presumably chose not to make the effort.
2007-09-15 16:53:16 · answer #3 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just the same as names and places in Scotland, English can't pronounce them . Scots have no problems with Irish names.
2007-09-15 16:56:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gaelic names very often have English equivalents and it is very often down to the individual whether they accept the Anglicised versions. Both my sons have (Scots) Gaelic names. One uses the Anglicised version whilst the other sticks with the pure Gaelic. He gets his revenge on the ones who can't pronounce it when they have to write it down! His name is Ruairidh.
2007-09-15 16:57:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you think that's tough, try asking for directions to "Magdelene" if you don't know how it's really pronounced.
2007-09-15 16:52:41 · answer #6 · answered by open4one 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, your right. And i can`t say FLAHERTY, no matter how hard i try. can someone tell me how to say it right.
2007-09-15 16:49:03 · answer #7 · answered by Sir Bobby`s Hairdresser 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is the different accents
2007-09-15 16:49:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋