Qatar - a question of pronunciation.

Grey_Wolf · 08-16-2003, 12:14 PM

I saw an edition of "60 minutes" where the anchorman and a reporter pronounced it Ktarr instead Kaataarr as I imagined it would be pronounced.

What's your opinion?

Insidious Rex · 08-16-2003, 01:34 PM

http://www.satireonline.com/articles...ronunciat.html

Hasty Ent · 08-16-2003, 02:38 PM

Last Monday there was a segment on the radio about this very thing. Apparently, both pronounciations are acceptable. The latter which has the accent on the second syllable is the "foreign" pronounciation. The former, with a gutteral "k" sound is the Arabic pronounciation.

The commentators on the program stated that government officials in Qatar use the "foreign" pronounciation when holding press conferences in English, so that is the version most journalists use.

It was an interesting segment, -- the pronounciation expert that was interviewed is Merriam Webster's pronounciation editor.

The radio program was "The World," a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.

zinnite · 08-16-2003, 03:03 PM

I've had several courses on the geography of the Middle East, and I've ever heard it pronounced like "ku'ter." A student from there pronounced it that way, but then again I know many folks from my home state of Missouri who pronounce it "Missou-ruh," so I guess you can't always trust a native.

And I don't really want to mess with Merriam-Webster's pronounciation guy. Do you know if that show in online anywhere? I'd like to hear it.

Hasty Ent · 08-16-2003, 04:21 PM

here's a link, scroll down to the Who Knows interview -- it's about pronounciation of various words, not exclusively Qatar, but pretty interesting segment anyway

http://www.theworld.org/latesteditions/20030811.shtml

Grey_Wolf · 08-16-2003, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by zinnite
I've had several courses on the geography of the Middle East, and I've ever heard it pronounced like "ku'ter." A student from there pronounced it that way, but then again I know many folks from my home state of Missouri who pronounce it "Missou-ruh," so I guess you can't always trust a native.

And I don't really want to mess with Merriam-Webster's pronounciation guy. Do you know if that show in online anywhere? I'd like to hear it.

This particular program was shown on Swedish TV 4 this afternoon and I don't know how current it was. Most likely there is a "60 minutes"-site where perhaps you can find news segments about Qatar.

Grey_Wolf · 08-17-2003, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hasty Ent
here's a link, scroll down to the Who Knows interview -- it's about pronounciation of various words, not exclusively Qatar, but pretty interesting segment anyway

http://www.theworld.org/latesteditions/20030811.shtml

Very interesting. Thanks a lot. I just put the site under my favourites so I can check it out some more.

08-16-2003, 12:14 PM	#1
Grey_Wolf Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mirkwood, well actually I live in North-west Scania, Sweden Posts: 9,481	Qatar - a question of pronunciation. I saw an edition of "60 minutes" where the anchorman and a reporter pronounced it Ktarr instead Kaataarr as I imagined it would be pronounced. What's your opinion?

08-16-2003, 01:34 PM	#2
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	http://www.satireonline.com/articles...ronunciat.html __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

08-16-2003, 02:38 PM	#3
Hasty Ent Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 516	Last Monday there was a segment on the radio about this very thing. Apparently, both pronounciations are acceptable. The latter which has the accent on the second syllable is the "foreign" pronounciation. The former, with a gutteral "k" sound is the Arabic pronounciation. The commentators on the program stated that government officials in Qatar use the "foreign" pronounciation when holding press conferences in English, so that is the version most journalists use. It was an interesting segment, -- the pronounciation expert that was interviewed is Merriam Webster's pronounciation editor. The radio program was "The World," a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston. __________________ Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it. George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

08-16-2003, 04:21 PM	#5
Hasty Ent Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 516	here's a link, scroll down to the Who Knows interview -- it's about pronounciation of various words, not exclusively Qatar, but pretty interesting segment anyway http://www.theworld.org/latesteditions/20030811.shtml __________________ Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it. George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Question about ice cream	katya	General Messages	18	07-20-2005 09:47 AM
A question to ponder	Ælfwine	Middle Earth	13	10-18-2004 02:38 AM
Unofficial Hobbit Question Thread	Yodaman	Lord of the Rings Books	2	06-14-2004 11:35 AM
A question of Sauron and the Ring	hama	Lord of the Rings Books	8	12-04-2001 05:00 AM
Question for Mr. Jackson	Fat middle	Lord of the Rings Movies	9	07-19-2000 04:36 AM

08-16-2003, 03:03 PM	#4
zinnite Elven Warrior Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Lawrence, Kansas, USA Posts: 195	I've had several courses on the geography of the Middle East, and I've ever heard it pronounced like "ku'ter." A student from there pronounced it that way, but then again I know many folks from my home state of Missouri who pronounce it "Missou-ruh," so I guess you can't always trust a native. And I don't really want to mess with Merriam-Webster's pronounciation guy. Do you know if that show in online anywhere? I'd like to hear it.