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"This is terrible": Woman halts TV interview until her name is pronounced correctly

<p>Former editor and commentator Dawn Neesom was put on blast by Shola Mos-Shogbamimu for mispronouncing her name on TV.</p> <p>The exchange happened on Channel 5’s<em> Jeremy Vine</em> show where Ms Neesom was presenting as a host.</p> <p>Dr Shola appeared on the panel to talk about stories and current issues.</p> <p>When the introductions began, there was an error which was quickly highlighted.</p> <p>Dawn said, “I am absolutely thrilled to be joined by lawyer Dr Shola” but then struggled to pronounce her surname and asked her, “How do I pronounce your name Shola?”</p> <p>The lawyer replied, “'Read it my darling, read it.”</p> <p>Dawn made another attempt but appeared to have mispronounced it again.</p> <p>Dr Shola, appearing amused, said, “This is terrible, especially from a presenter.”</p> <p>Dawn was then instructed by her to pronounce it phonetically, saying “Shola Mos Shog Bam Imu.”</p> <p>Dr Shola responded, “Do it again.”</p> <p>Dawn went on to say “Oh come on, I got the Shola right” but Dr Shola said, "Do it again and do it phonetically.”</p> <p>When she again mispronounced it, Dr Shola said “You just missed the B try again”</p> <p>Dawn, proceeded to put her hand on her face said, “'Shola, Shola welcome to the show!”</p> <p>Dr Shola then told her, “No you will say my name and read it phonetically,”</p> <p>Dawn attempted to say her name again, this time nearly correct and Dr Shola said, “It's Shogbamimu but well done.”</p> <p>The exchange was posted online and both parties tweeted about it.</p> <p>Dawn explained, “The most fun with the best panel this morning. That's what three hours sleep does for you.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The most fun with the best panel this morning <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyVineOn5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeremyVineOn5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Extra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Extra</a> 😂 That's what three hours sleep does for you🤪 Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/thecarolemalone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thecarolemalone</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SholaMos1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SholaMos1</a> for being such great sports &amp; to all the excellent callers today 🙏 Back from more fun &amp; games live tomorrow 9.15 sharp. The… <a href="https://t.co/dSVUvBrN3H">https://t.co/dSVUvBrN3H</a></p> <p>— Dawn Neesom (@DawnNeesom) <a href="https://twitter.com/DawnNeesom/status/1656286485547737088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Dr Shola retweeted the video but added no comment.</p> <p>The lawyer, who recently wrote an anti-racism book called This Is Why I Resist, spoke about Meghan Markle’s decision to not attend the coronation.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>GMD</em>, she said, “I think Meghan's decision to say no to the most powerful family in Britain and to say no to the most talked about party in town is both admirable and inspiring.</p> <p>“What Meghan is doing is exercising the power of no that comes from a place of self-worth, growth, maturity and self preservation.”</p> <p>When asked if it was because Meghan “didn’t feel welcome” in the UK, she responded “I don't think that's the case here.</p> <p>"I think that any wife out there that has bad in-laws like Meghan has with the Royal Family can deduce that she has drawn a line in the sand. She is saying I will attend royal events, but on my own terms.</p> <p>“But what is more powerful is that Meghan is telling the whole world that I am rejecting any notion that because I married into the Royal Family I should be bait for toxicity, rage and abuse.</p> <p>“She is saying to society as a whole: you don't get to tell me who I should be as a woman, as a mother and as a wife."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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This is how you actually pronounce Princess Eugenie’s name

<p>With Princess Eugenie soon to be walking down the aisle to marry her fiancé Jack Brooksbank in October, it’s time the world learns how to pronounce the royal's first name, because sorry to say, if you think you have been pronouncing it correctly, chances are you haven't.</p> <p>Most people are caught pronouncing the Princess's name as “You-Janie” or “You-Jee-nie” but neither of these two versions is correct according to her mother Sarah Ferguson (Fergie).</p> <p>The proper way to pronounce her name is “YOO-junnee” and if you’re still confused, Fergie even came up with a helpful guide on how to pronounce it correctly.</p> <p>“Whenever we used to meet foreign people who were struggling with it, my mum and I would help them by saying, “It’s like Use Your Knees,” Eugenie told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5406073/pronounce-eugenie-correctly-princess-full-name/" target="_blank">The Sun</a></em>.</p> <p>“But whatever. I am now used to every pronunciation.”</p> <p>Eugenie – otherwise known as Eugenie Victoria Helena of York – shares her name with Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, and her middle name Helena is named after Princess Helena, Queen Victoria’s daughter.</p> <p>But there is a chance that the Princess may have a change in name after her wedding which will be held at Windsor Castle on October 12.</p> <p>According to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2018012245637/princess-eugenie-jack-brooksbank-title/" target="_blank">Hello!</a></em>, her new title will be a mixture of her royal status and her husband’s name, which means she will go by HRH Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank.</p> <p>This information was confirmed after it was discovered that her fiancé will remain a commoner instead of being bestowed the title of Earl of Northallerton, but Eugenie doesn’t seem to mind.</p> <p>“Eugenie couldn’t care less about titles and is perfectly happy to be Mrs Brooksbank,” a source has told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/992532/Princess-Eugenie-wedding-Royal-family-James-Brooksbank-earl-title" target="_blank">The Express</a></em>.</p>

News

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How to teach Siri to correctly pronounce names

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>Siri. You either love her or you hate her. I personally love the Siri feature on Apple devices, and if you take the time to learn how to use Siri effectively, I’m sure you’ll find that she is amazing.<br /> <br /> However, there is one thing that drives me up the wall... when Siri mispronounces names! </p> <p>Some of my friends call me "Lise" (pronounced Leese...) and Siri constantly pronounces my names “Lies”.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to train Siri to correctly pronounce names</span></strong></p> <p><strong>1. Activate Siri, and say "That's not how you pronounce [name]" eg Lise</strong></p> <p>Siri will ask you "Which [name]?"</p> <p>Tap on the contact name that you want to change the pronunciation of.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/02015337-74db-432e-bd37-949440318d68.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 576px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p><strong>2. Siri will ask you: "Ok, how do you pronounce [name]?"</strong></p> <p>Teach Siri how to correctly pronounce the name by saying it aloud.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/a058583f-8b43-4dc1-b137-06185d50c3fc.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 750px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p><strong>3. Siri will give you several playback options</strong></p> <p>Tap on the Play symbol to hear how Siri pronounces each version.</p> <p>Choose the correct pronunciation by tapping Select.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="264" height="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/f66bc82b-9009-413e-8728-c4447c476722.png" class="mcnImage" style="max-width: 750px; line-height: 100%; outline: none; vertical-align: bottom; height: auto !important;"/></p> <p>And there you have it, that's how you can train Siri to correctly pronounce names.</p>

Technology

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Should you tell a mother that she is pronouncing her baby’s name wrong?

<p>In an era where it is growing increasingly popular for parents to experiment with baby names, it can be easy to land yourself in trouble for inquiring about their decision.</p> <p><a href="http://www.kidspot.com.au/birth/baby-names/naming-your-baby/my-friend-is-pronouncing-her-babys-name-wrong-should-i-tell-her/news-story/0f2716039de39955986d5691f18a18e4" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>A Mumsnet user found herself in an awkward predicament</strong></span></a> when her friend had a baby girl and named her Anaïs.</p> <p>“Lovely name," user MrsLeighHalfpenny wrote, "but they pronounce it Annay, and not An-eye-ees.</p> <p>"I saw it written down before I heard them say it, and said 'I love the name Anaïs' to the grandmother (also my friend). She told me that that’s not how it should be pronounced. Should I explain what a diaeresis is for?"</p> <p>A diaeresis is the two little dots above the ‘i' that indicate that the vowel is sounded separately.</p> <p>However, in a society where parents are creating their own names, do parents have the last say on name pronunciation?</p> <p>"Eeeeek. I see loads of YouTubers pronouncing it Annay as well (when referring to the brand Aden + Anais). I'm assuming this is where people get that pronunciation from," wrote one commenter.</p> <p>“I would read it as An-eye-ees which is the correct French pronunciation, and how the perfume should be pronounced too. Yes, she will have a lifetime ahead of her explaining the pronunciation (especially if she ever moves to an area with a reasonable sized Francophone population – which could of course mean London!) You will have to grit your teeth and pronounce it as requested (if it's possible to say anything through a clenched jaw) or never refer to her by name (often easier than you'd imagine, sweetie).”</p> <p>Eventually, MrsLeighHalfpenny decided to not confront the parents about the pronunciation.</p> <p>"I’m verging on keeping my mouth shut, which will be fine as long as I never actually have to address the child by name, or refer to her by name. Might get away with that… hope the girl learns Spanish instead of French in school!”</p> <p>Have you found yourself in a situation like this before? Tell us about how you handled it in the comments below.</p>

Family & Pets

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How to correctly pronounce tricky foods

<p>Wannabe foodies need never blush when ordering quinoa or inquiring after edamame, now a British food co-operative has collaborated with the guardians of the English language to produce a guide for commonly mispronounced foods.</p> <p>The Oxford English Dictionary's (OED) head of pronunciation Catherine Sangster told The Independent her team monitored how English speakers pronounced the name of a foreign food or drink that had become popular.</p> <p>"Some speakers will want to say the name in a completely authentic manner, matching the original language, and other speakers will be influenced by the spelling or prefer to anglicise the sounds," she said.</p> <p>"In the dictionary, we give pronunciations that are accurate and also reflect the reality of how the word is being spoken."</p> <p><strong>The list devised by Co-operative Food and the OED:</strong></p> <p> 1. Tzatziki - "tsat-si-key"</p> <p>2. Bouillabaisse - "boo-yah-behss"</p> <p>3. Ceviche - "seh-bee-tche"</p> <p>4. Parmigiano Reggiano - "par-mee-djah-no rehd-djah-no"</p> <p>5. Edamame - "ed-a-mar-mei"</p> <p>6. Acai - "ah-sigh-ee"</p> <p>7. Nicoise - "ni-swaz"</p> <p>8. Chipotle - "chi-poat-lay"</p> <p>9. Manchego - "man-chay-go"</p> <p>10. Prosciutto - "pro-shoot-tow"</p> <p>11. Crudites - "krew-dee-tay"</p> <p>12. Gnocchi - "nyohk-kee"</p> <p>13. Quinoa - "keen-wah"</p> <p>14. Habanero - "habe-a-ne-reu"</p> <p>15. Maraschino - "ma-ra-skeeno"</p> <p>16. Bouillon - "bo-yon"</p> <p>17. Rioja - "ree-o-ha"</p> <p>18. Halloumi - "ha-lu-mi"</p> <p>19. Anise - "an-is"</p> <p>20. Guacamole - "gwah-kah-moh-leh"</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/smooth-hummus/">Smooth hummus dip</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/05/crab-cakes/">Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/04/crusted-fish-fillets/">Parsley and macadamia-crusted fish fillets</a></em></strong></span></p>

News

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The 10 most difficult words to pronounce in the English language

<p>For more than two weeks, users of the online social platform reddit submitted the words they considered to be the hardest English words to pronounce. After more than 5000 submissions, these were the top 10 words the world decided were too hard to pronounce. </p> <p><strong>10. Rural</strong></p> <p>Submitted by user ‘mattythedog’, rural appears to cause problem particularly when repeated or put next a word with similar “r” sounds.</p> <p>One user says: “I cannot say Rural Juror - comes out rurrrerr jerrrerr and sounds like I'm growling.”</p> <p><strong>9. Otorhinolaryngologist</strong></p> <p>While the length puts a lot of people off, one internet user points out, “that one looks like a beast, but once you break it down, it's pretty easy to say”.</p> <p><strong>8. Colonel</strong></p> <p>Submitted by a user who explains: “If you know that it's pronounced "kernel", it's easy to pronounce. But if you were new to the English language and didn't know that, you would never pronounce it correctly.”</p> <p><strong>7. Penguin</strong></p> <p>It was recently revealed British actor Benedict Cumberbatch cannot pronoun the word penguin. Instead he says something akin to “peng wings”.</p> <p><strong>6. Sixth</strong></p> <p>Coincidentally sixth in our list, this word is criticised as: “What kind of word is that with an S and xth sound?”</p> <p>Another says: “Imagine what ‘eighth’ is like to a non-English speaker. Not one letter is pronounced the way it should be.”</p> <p><strong>5. Isthmus</strong></p> <p>Meaning a narrow strip of land with sea on either side that connects two larger landmasses, isthmus confuses people with how to pronounce the “s” and “th” sounds together.</p> <p><strong>4. Anemone</strong></p> <p>Hard to pronounce and hard to spell, a helpful user suggests: “I'd break it down like ‘Uh - Nem - Uh – Knee’.”</p> <p>Scoffing at how easy anemone is to pronounce? Try this tongue-twister: “In me, many an enemy anemone enema.”</p> <p><strong>3. Squirrel</strong></p> <p>One user says that: “From a foreign perspective, ‘Squirrel’ messes with German exchange students like you wouldn't believe. To be fair though I can't pronounce their word for it either.”</p> <p><strong>2. Choir</strong></p> <p>User Kaktu submits: “As a foreign speaker: Choir. Seriously. Why?</p> <p>Someone suggests helpfully that “it's like 'enquire' but without the 'en'”.</p> <p><strong>1. Worcestershire</strong></p> <p>The overwhelming top submission was the word Worcestershire.</p> <p>“I've heard a few funny pronunciations,” says one user, “Wor-kester-shire. Whats-dis-here. Wooster-shire.”</p> <p>One user suggests: “It's that ‘-cest-’ in the middle that messes people up. If you break it up like worce-ster-shire, the pronunciation makes sense.”</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/worlds-happiest-countries-in-2015/">These are the happiest countries in the world</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/older-generation-better-at-learning/">Older generations better at learning than everyone else</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/tips-for-being-a-good-person-today/">8 ways to be a good person today</a></em></strong></span></p>

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14 tourist locations everyone pronounces wrong

<p>Ah, we’ve all been there. Working hard to blend in as a local, until the moment we open our mouths.</p> <p>The New York Post has published a list of locations people are commonly pronouncing wrong. It’s one thing to visit these cities, but pronouncing their name is another matter entirely.</p> <p><strong>Here are some of the highlights: </strong></p> <p>1. Reykjavik, Iceland<br /> REY-kyah-vik not RAKE-ah-vik.</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10898/iceland_500x334.jpg" alt="Iceland"/></p> <p>2. Ljubljana, Slovenia<br /> Home to green dragons, the Slovenian capital is Lyoo-BLEE-AH-nah.</p> <p>3. Reims, Cannes, Aix, Cahors, Rennes — France<br /> Ranse; cann or kenn (throw in an extra “n”); ex; kah-or; ren.</p> <p>4. Capri, Italy<br /> Don’t say it like those silly, ankle-exposing pants. It’s pronounced CAH-pree.</p> <p>5. Berlin, Germany<br /> The German capital is pronounced bear-LIN or bear-LEEN.</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10899/berlin_500x334.jpg" alt="Berlin"/></p> <p>6. Cappadocia, Turkey<br /> Both acceptable: kap-ah-DOK-yah or kap-ah-doe-KEE-ah, but not kap-ah-doe-CHEE-ah</p> <p>7. Nicaragua<br /> Nic-ah-ra-GOO-ah not nih-kuh-rah-GWUH.</p> <p>8. Detroit, Mich.<br /> Motor City, baby, is pronounced dih-TROYT, not DEE-troyt.</p> <p>9. Cartagena, Colombia<br />It’s simply kahr-tah-hey-NAH.</p> <p>10. Antigua: an-tee-GAH, not an-tee-gwah</p> <p>11. Anguilla: an-gwil-ah (like vanilla) not an-gwee-lah</p> <p>12. Curaçao: cur-ah-sow (ç makes an “ess” sound)</p> <p>13. Nevis: nee-vis</p> <p>14. St. Lucia: saint loo-shuh not loo-see-ah</p>

International Travel

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