#289, Keir, yes, tricky little blighters, English place-names. Like Leicester ('lester'), Towcester ('toaster'), and Bicester ('bister'). Endless fun can be had with a map and an innocent foreigner.
Australia also has fun names, Woolloomooloo being one, pronounced with the stress on the last Loo, not WOO-lloo-MOO-loo.
Ah, sorry... I hadn't realised Kevin had beaten me to the punch!
#246, Faren: Welsh is a phonetic language, and every bit of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is pronounced, including the two LLs in the middle. LL sounds like the hiss of a very angry cat, and I tend to break the two up by taking a breath between them.
--
But I think I have possibly the most embarrassing story as regards misspelling.
I used to work as an 'editorial assistant' for a science publisher, and it was my job to invite Very Important Scientists to write papers for our journals. One time, I sent out about 60 invitation letters, but as the responses came back, I became increasingly perplexed by the number of people asking "Is that really how you spell your name?" I mean, I know 'Charman' is a little unusual, and people often mispronounce it 'Sharman' or try to put a p in it (Chapman), but it's not that noteworthy. So I'd shake my head, say "Yes", and leave it at that. After the fifth such enquiry, I decided that something was wrong and pulled out the original letter that I'd sent out.
I have to admit feeling rather mortified to discover that I had spelt Sue as Suw. My squiggle of a signature gave no one any clue that I had actually misspelt my own name so, after the panic subsided, I decided that it was probably just easier to change my name than admit to a bunch of really important people that I couldn't spell it. I've been Suw ever since.
Of course, I thank my fat-fingeredness now - I'm the only human Suw in Google and that has turned out to be pretty useful.
Not from a ballad, but pertinent nonetheless.
If anyone prophesies your demise thrice, each time describing a different modus operandi, don't assume they've got it wrong. Expect a very long, complicated death.
Spending even the smallest modicum of time in a valley/city/cottage that you could have sworn wasn't there before will result in you finally emerging to discover that a century has passed and your One True Love not only married your brother but is also now dead anyway. You'll end up fighting your nephew for the throne. Doleful Ghosts will be involved.
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2005 | 1 |
Total: 5 comments. View all these comments on a single page.
The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Suw:
Show all comments by Suw.