It's a bad idea to start using fancy words if you don't know how they're pronounced. Not wanting to appear foolish, like those Easterners who say "WILL-a MET-tee" or "OR-e-GONE" in public, I for years have kept words to myself, waiting eagerly for the day when someone else will volunteer the word first, and I can copy it.
For some words, this is a long time coming. Debussy (the composer is shown here, with his dogs), espalier, 'Pelleas et Melisande,' 'Les Regiment du Filles' ...these don't come up a lot. Sometimes you get desperate and just spit one out, hoping you're playing to a friendly room. Or you never, ever say them aloud. Like substituting "The Scottish Play" for "Macbeth," as superstitious actors used to do. But you can't say "Debussy's opera" instead of "Pelleas" if you can't pronounce "Debussy." You see the issue, especially for a classical music-opera editor. In some circles I am actually regarded as a quiet, retiring type.
I recently discovered that I had been mentally/verbally pronouncing the Venice Biennale incorrectly. For like, years. I was inserting an extra vowel there - Bienn-i-ale, rather than BYE-en-NAHL. Ugh. Horrifying. One ticket to rubeville, please. But now I can sail forth, saying it correctly, if the moment ever occurs. The inside of my head is a much better -- and better-sounding -- place. This year, I resolve to bring my pronunciations up to date.
For some words, this is a long time coming. Debussy (the composer is shown here, with his dogs), espalier, 'Pelleas et Melisande,' 'Les Regiment du Filles' ...these don't come up a lot. Sometimes you get desperate and just spit one out, hoping you're playing to a friendly room. Or you never, ever say them aloud. Like substituting "The Scottish Play" for "Macbeth," as superstitious actors used to do. But you can't say "Debussy's opera" instead of "Pelleas" if you can't pronounce "Debussy." You see the issue, especially for a classical music-opera editor. In some circles I am actually regarded as a quiet, retiring type.
I recently discovered that I had been mentally/verbally pronouncing the Venice Biennale incorrectly. For like, years. I was inserting an extra vowel there - Bienn-i-ale, rather than BYE-en-NAHL. Ugh. Horrifying. One ticket to rubeville, please. But now I can sail forth, saying it correctly, if the moment ever occurs. The inside of my head is a much better -- and better-sounding -- place. This year, I resolve to bring my pronunciations up to date.
1 comment:
I read words/names like that and that's it. I read them. I don't try to say them. I recognize them in print.
The exception is the prime minister of Iran. I decided that this is a name I need to be able to say.. So practiced. Ask me.
Post a Comment