VOA文化艺术2023--How Do You Say That Name Again?

How Do You Say That Name Again?

13 December 2023

News reporters, politicians and public figures have had trouble saying some of the words that relate to the top stories of the year year. Last week, the online language learning company Babbel released its lists of the most mispronounced words in the United States and Britain.

The two lists are a reminder¹ of the year's news on everything from scientific discoveries to politics.

Babbel teacher Malcolm Massey noted² the diversity of the words. This year's words come from several different languages.

"I think a lot of it is due to how close our cultures have become because of how globalized things are," Massey said.

Singers, actors and politicians

A popular singer who spells her name S-Z-A is on the U.S. list. Babbel notes her name is pronounced SIZ-uh,[short I sound].

The first name of another entertainer is also on the list. Cillian Murphy is an Irish actor who starred in this summer's hit as physicist³ J. Robert Oppenheimer. His first name is pronounced KI-lee-uhn.

Other pronunciations on the U.S. list include the name of biotech businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is a Republican presidential candidate. The correct way to say his name is Vih-VAKE Rah-mah-SWAH-me.

Two volcanoes were also on the list — Mexico's Popocatepetl, (Poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til), and Hawaii's Kilauea, (Kee-lou-EY-uh).

The winning word at this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee also made the U.S. list. That word was psammophile (SAM-uh-file.) It means any animal or plant that prefers sandy soils or areas.

The coronation of King Charles in May helped put the Stone of Scone⁴, (Stown uhv Skoon), on Britain's list. The holy stone rests beneath the Coronation Chair where a new king first receives his crown.

Kristie Denlinger teaches linguistics⁵ at the University of Texas in Austin. She said hearing an unfamiliar⁶ word often enough can help someone master it.

"Anything that is kind of different from what a speaker is used to, they can learn how to pronounce things in different ways than what they're used to, it just takes more exposure," Denlinger said.

A personal choice

Massey said that as one learns a new pronunciation, it is important to "not stress perfection but progress over time, so practicing these words again and again."

In some cases, the correct pronunciation is just a matter of personal choice. Earning a place on the U.S. list was the last name of Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs' American football player. Whether Kelce should be pronounced with one or two syllables⁷, Kels or KEL-See, has been a subject even his own family talks about.

Both Travis and his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, say their last name as KEL-see. On a podcast, they discussed with their father, Ed Kelce, how that pronunciation came to be.

"I got tired of correcting people," said Ed Kelce, who said that his co-workers always called him KEL-see.

Jason Kelce then asks: "Should we go by Kels or KEL-see?" His father answers: "Do whatever you want. I did."

Words in This Story

figure – n. a person who is well-known and important in some way.

mispronounced – adj. not said in a correct way

diversity – n. containing many very different elements

globalized – adj. when people from one country link with people

from another country in order to work or communicate with them

coronation – n. the ceremony at which a king or queen is crowned

linguistics – n. the science of language

exposure – n. publicity⁸, being seen or heard

podcast – n. an audio file similar to a radio broadcast, that can be listened to on a website or app on your phone or computer

1 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

4 scone   

n.圆饼，甜饼，司康饼

参考例句：

• She eats scone every morning.她每天早上都吃甜饼。
• Scone is said to be origined from Scotland.司康饼据说来源于苏格兰。

5 linguistics   

n.语言学

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• Linguistics is a scientific study of the property of language.语言学是指对语言的性质所作的系统研究。

6 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

7 syllables   

n.音节( syllable的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a word with two syllables 双音节单词
• 'No. But I'll swear it was a name of two syllables.' “想不起。不过我可以发誓，它有两个音节。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

8 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。