I've recently gotten back to reading Dave Winer from time to time.
Dave has been on a North American driving excursion for the past few weeks, although he seems to have settled temporarily in Seattle. His audio blog posts from the road have been a fascinating combination of pure trivia, insightful reminiscence (check out his comments on doing business with Microsoft and his meetings with Bill Gates) and business brain-storming. I don't understand his politics but then he's from Massachusetts -- the land of ossified Senators -- so how could I understand them?
I had to chuckle (guffaw? chortle?) this morning however, while reading his guide to place names in light of the latest approaching hurricane in the
Gulf.
Hurricane Ivan aiming for the Gulf Coast, a couple of peeves. Biloxi is
not pronounced phonetically. The "lox" part is actually pronounced
"lux." And the syllable that's emphasized in the name Mobile is the
second one, not the first. So it's Mobile, not Mobile. For the most
they're pronouncing New Orleans acceptably, either New Or-lee-unz, or
N'awlins (the "ew" after the initial N is audible, but just barely).
What you don't want to say is New Orleeeenz. Bad bad."
Well Dave, here are a couple for you. Perhaps you have been influenced by the reappearing bit from TV's Super Dave Osborne "gen-u-wine Sas-Catch-You-Wan seal skin") but let me assure you that we pronounce Saskatchewan more like Sus-katch-ew-win. And by the way; Regina is not pronounced "Re-jeena". Think Seinfeld. Regina rhymes with vagi.... Oh never mind. Great that you came up and turned left to visit.
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