Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1827410
This particular Le Castellet (as it's not an uncommon name for settlements in that area) is the next village up the valley about 5 miles from my French house.

Wires spanning the valleys is something that deters me from flying too low in that area, however tempting it is on a fine summer evening!

(ps They were 'Rafales' btw :wink: )
Iceman, kanga liked this
#1827738
chevvron wrote:..
They're called 'Rafales' not 'Rafaels'. :wall:
I've encountered this mis pronunciation ever since they first displayed at Farnborough umpteen years ago!!(Even the BBC got that right surprisingly)


<drift :oops: >

BBC has (or had) a 'pronunciation unit', with a high reputation. I believe it was mandatory for newsreaders to be coached by it when tricky names were topical like Eyjafjallajökull :)

BBC ('newsroom') Correspondents, specialist by topic or locality, are also usually very good, and the locality ones are usually pertinent linguists. BBC Presenters (a wholly different tribe, often scorned in private by the Correspondents in my experience :wink: ) are not nearly as diligent. I guess the last are far less likely to seek or absorb coaching, possibly because they are changing topics frequently even within a programme.

[I recall a senior one being interviewed on his retirement. He mentioned his indignation when, soon after he had mastered saying unhesitatingly the name of the Nigerian PM, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the gentleman was overthrown in a military coup and murdered :? ]

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Iceman, Stu B, Charles Hunt liked this
#1827743
Was it far enough back for the legend that was Raymond Baxter to be commentating? He'd have got it right.

He was just a fraction too slow reacting to become the only Spitfire pilot to shoot down a V2.

Rob P
#1828781
kanga wrote:..
<drift :oops: >

BBC has (or had) a 'pronunciation unit', with a high reputation. I believe it was mandatory for newsreaders to be coached by it when tricky names were topical like Eyjafjallajökull :)

..

</>


I look forward to BBC newsreaders coping with this one :) :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349
Morten liked this
#1828788
Rob P wrote:Was it far enough back for the legend that was Raymond Baxter to be commentating? He'd have got it right.

He was just a fraction too slow reacting to become the only Spitfire pilot to shoot down a V2.

Rob P


I liked Raymond Baxter as a commentator and narrator...he was knowledgeable and informative and probably always correct...but I just couldn't stand his smarmy voice!

Rob L
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By Morten
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1828800
kanga wrote:
kanga wrote:..
<drift :oops: >

BBC has (or had) a 'pronunciation unit', with a high reputation. I believe it was mandatory for newsreaders to be coached by it when tricky names were topical like Eyjafjallajökull :)

..

</>


I look forward to BBC newsreaders coping with this one :) :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349


Love it :). Makes those pesky Ř or eg Gorinchem in the Netherlands sounds like feeble attempts at childs' play. I wish we would more often hear languages using a wider range of sounds. Fabulous.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1829103
When I was a school kid in France in the 50s an official visit by a Japanese politician ( might even have been Prime Minister) - a M. Kishi- caused considerable mirth, described as he was in the newsreels as ‘Le Monsieur Kishî’. :wink: