Berj, Berg or Berger?

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

Agree, gets on my nerves how it's as though all the news readers and media people have been given a memo/ instructions
regards how they must pronounce the capital of Ukraine, as it shows them respect.

When I was a kid there was a food called "Chicken Kiev"
In Europe football , USSR had a famous football team called "Dynamo Kiev"

So how come since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all the media people now called their capital city "Keev".
I've even heard some British media people pronounce it "Key uv", they say it very quickly even breaking out into a Russian accent. Why?

Dynamo is now pronounced as Deenamo for reasons beyond me.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

So when are you getting off your high-horse and untwisting your knickers......

When I can bend over backwards that far.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

It’s not hard to get things right, it’s typically British to not even try. “Fuckin’ foreigners I’ll pronounce their names how I like” etc.

You're assuming there's a right way, there isn't.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

But I do try to get others’ names fairly close to how they say it. Seems like basic respect to me, if you deal with someone regularly.

This seems more like what actually happens. A few people make an effort, they get pretty close and that becomes the anglicised version.

Of course in the unlikely event that they're being precious about it you can then "mispronounce" their name to your heart's content as a free wind-up.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

It’s because “Keev” is more of a Ukrainian pronunciation, whilst “Kee-ev” is more Russian. In context, it seems a fair ask.

Bloody hell. Every day's a learning day. I didn't know that. Cheers.

 

[JohnDenver]

However the English prononciation is Kiev. (Key...ev) but since the invasion I've never heard anyone call it that in the media.

Our media use 2 names, they generally call it either Keev (1 syllable)
However I've also heard a few in the British media call it Key-uv (not Key-ev) using 2 syllabels, said very quickly in a Russian accent.

Wondered if it's a fashion change regards calling cities the names they use in the local dialect
Same as we call Roma....Rome
Firenze we called Florence
Venezia we call Venice
Napoli we call Naples, Polska is Poland, Nippon is Japan. Where do you stop?

Also do you start using local accents.
Madrrreeeed we call Madrid
Bargh agh lona we call Barcelona etc etc

I’m accustomed to “kee-ev” but if news reporters want to say “keev” that’s fine by me.

If my own Ukrainian colleagues question my pronunciation (it’s never cropped up as we’re mostly using Google Chat), then I’ll change it too.

I don’t really see this as the thin end of a particularly dangerous wedge. But you’re right - it’s interesting how these things evolve.

 

[Blade-on-Tyne]

Why do so many people either get on their high horses, or get their knickers in a twist about pronunciation in particular.

What is the capital of France? Paris.

The French call it Paris (Paree)

Anglicised it's Paris (phonetically)

You'd sound a right fucking tool talking about Paree.

So why do so many people bend over backwards - with their knickers in a twist - to pronounce unfamiliar words like a fluent native. And even then there'll be fluent natives with different accents. There is no authority. Go for some half-arsed anglicisation, see where the consensus ends up and then, unless you want to stand out from the crowd, go with that.

And I thought I was the only one who thinks the capital of China is Peking.

 

[Snowflake]

Why do so many people either get on their high horses, or get their knickers in a twist about pronunciation in particular.

What is the capital of France? Paris.

The French call it Paris (Paree)

Anglicised it's Paris (phonetically)

You'd sound a right fucking tool talking about Paree.

So why do so many people bend over backwards - with their knickers in a twist - to pronounce unfamiliar words like a fluent native. And even then there'll be fluent natives with different accents. There is no authority. Go for some half-arsed anglicisation, see where the consensus ends up and then, unless you want to stand out from the crowd, go with that.

My I suggest that if you have to bend over backwards at any time then you remove your knickers first.

 

[PokerBlade]

Sander Gaybear?

When he first joined he was asked in an interview and the best I can put his pronunciation is "Bear-gay". So close enough. He also didn't seem to care and said whatever fans went with was fine.