montreux

Over the past couple years this little blog has captured JonBenet Ramsey's name associated with everything from global warming to lately, the prime-time invasion of the Tiger Woods family. In the process noticed are some common misperceptions such as the first name is Jon, family name Benet. Then there are common typos or misspellings like Ramsay and the pretentious over-pronunciation: zzhhahn-ben-ae. Recently, over at Mrs. Fishwife's blog, a very fun read I might add, the author enjoyed a little word play off JonBenet's name and reminded me I am tardy making a book order - -


The unpronounceables
By Lucy Fishwife


"...Having a facility for languages, however, is actually no help at all in the world of bookselling. Many customers, and this is not at all a criticism, don't know how to pronounce the names of foreign writers, and frankly nor do we most of the time...


Certain words are also a minefield - I mean we all know in theory how to say "genre" but tend not to, as you end up sounding like a Saatchi underling trying to sell Tracey Emin's used pants to an awestruck art novice. Especially if you add the unforgiveable word "oeuvre" which, if not considerately and inclusively pronounced "hoover", marks you out as so pretentious you need shooting. I love Nabokov (sorry), and wouldn't dream of saying "oeuvre" about his body of work.


We recently invented some incorrect pronunciations (it was a quiet afternoon) for use on the more studiedly poncey customer : my personal favourite was Alain-Benet (to be pronounced like JonBenet), although he was run a close second by Dan Brun and Jean Greeshamm."