No doubt everyone in the world has heard about the man in Northumberland with a gun and a whole load of police looking for him. Even my mother in New Zealand has heard about it (and promptly decided to panic as this is not too far away from where I live). I do not wish to comment on the specifics of the story: it is far too horrible and there is nothing amusing about it. However, having watched and listened to the (almost constant) news about this matter, I have come to the conclusion that a little note about pronunciation is required for the guidance of the press and news reporters:
1. Rothbury is pronounced Rothbury - exactly as it is written. It is not Roath-berry. That sounds far too posh for a northern village.
2. Similarly, Seaton Delaval is pronounced See-ton Del-a-val not See-town Dee-la-vaal.
3. Also, Ponteland is pronounced Pont-ee-land, not Ponty-land.
Finally, I would like to add a little note to the reporter who insists on referring to Rothbury as "the wilds of Northumberland". Rothbury is not wild: it is rural. Granted, down South, 'rural' is anywhere where people have that green stuff in the general vicinity of their houses, so I can understand the confusion. For clarification, "the wilds" are places where people do not live, unless they are being brought up by wolves or other wild animals, as in The Jungle Book. Rothbury is not the jungle.
Please correct yourselves accordingly!
1 comment:
If I may add another, the River Coquet is NOT the River Cockit.
It’s rather disturbing to think that said reporters go to such great lengths to research and pronounce place names such as Milan and Mumbai everso correctly, even to the extent of applying hideously embarrassing accents; however, Northumbrian place names evade them. There are many others, including of course Ulgham, Cowpen, Newsham and Cambois. Even Blyth is regularly pronounced Blith!!
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