Maybe I should just get used to it, but news coverage that can’t get names right doesn’t carry much weight.
Some reporters, including the anchor on ITV’s news coverage in the United Kingdom, are repeatedly mispronouncing the (Former?) Prime Minister’s name. For those who do not know, his name, when devoid of superfluous Sanskritic leftovers and markers of aspiration, sounds like “Taksin Shinawat”.
OK, that’s my good deed for the day.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Ron Greer // Mar 4, 2007 at 1:11 am
Huh??? There is no “sh-” sound in any of the Tai dialects of modern Thailand–either initial or final. Tones aside, “Taksin Chinawat” works better(the initial syllable in the family name, “chin”, pronounced like the part of the face).
2 Nicholas Farrelly // Mar 4, 2007 at 11:52 am
Hi Ron,
On reflection you are spot on. Written quickly on the night of 19 September I was just trying to get the “Th” and “atra” cleaned up. I overlooked the “Sh”/”Ch”.
Thanks for your input.
Nich
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