Rendering of Foreign Names and Titles

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 2, 19 July 1935, Page 59

Rendering of Foreign Names and Titles

To the Editor Sir,-May I suggest that it would be far more pleasing and also more instructive to the ears of the vast majority of listeners if the radio announcers were supplied with the English translation (as it appears on most gramophone records) of all titles of foreign items broadcast? In the first place, to those who are familiar with foreign languages, it is painful and irritating to hear the great amount of mispronunciation that occurs. One would imagine that part of the qualifications of an announcer would be to have a correct knowledge of the phonetic expression of the more frequently used foreign languages, if only to a limited extent. Instead of that we hear a glib and clipped rendering of foreign titles i>

which might as well be given in the language of some Centra] African native tribe, to be intelligible to the initiated. The same failure frequently occurs to pronounce correctly the names of foreign composers and artists. As an instance, the name of Liza Lehmann, the famous singer, and composer, is repeatedly pronounced "Le Mon," as if she were of French nationality. Liza Lehmann was born in London of German-English parents. The correct pronunciation is "Laymon." There can be no excuse for this sort of thing, as enlightenment in the right direction can be obtained without travelling: abroad.-I am, etc..

MARCUS

LEVITICUS

Wellington,