"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
A cultural history of the 20th Century could begin with this now iconic piece of music. V Williams was one of the modern composers who turned to folk melodies. Written in 1914, it only became popular after the Great War (WW1) when all the confidence of 19th Century Europe had been shattered.
I was in high school when I discovered Gilbert and Sullivan. Specifically, HMS Pinafore. I was puzzled to read that Ralph Rackstraw's first name was pronounced "Raife."
How odd. I assumed that either Gilbert or Sullivan had lyrical or musical reasons to change that pronunciation. No idea what they would be, but either of those guys was way smarter than me so whatever reason it was, must have been valid.
Maybe one, two years later I come across the music of Vaughan Williams. And his first name, Ralph, also pronounced Raife. Shaw was right, Britain and America are two nations separated by a common language.
A lot of Brit names aren't pronounced the way they're spelled, for all sorts of reasons. I've heard frustrated US tourists here, 'Why don't they spell (a town's name) the way they pronounce it!!!' ('Now dear', said the wife...). The guy was on a train and understandably worried that when they reached their station they would not understand the intercom announcement.
P.G. Wodehouse often mocked British names... in one story, Bertie Wooster tells somebody that his last name is pronounced just like "Worcester." In another, a character's last name, Mapledurham, is pronounced "Mum." Stanly Feartherstonehaugh Ukridge's middle name is "Fanshaw." It wasn't until the David Fry and Hugh Laurie TV series that I found that Barmy Fotheringay-Phipps' last name was "Fungy-Fips."
Recently a favorite YouTube chef of mine added a tablespoon of "Wash Your Sister Sauce" to a recipe. Since then... well, not everyone who hears it thinks it's as funny as I do, apparently. Some affect to consider it stupid.
There are some wonderful old English family names. "Younghusband" is one I saw somewhere, and the delightful "Toadvine" (which I have used in a couple of my own stories).
A cultural history of the 20th Century could begin with this now iconic piece of music. V Williams was one of the modern composers who turned to folk melodies. Written in 1914, it only became popular after the Great War (WW1) when all the confidence of 19th Century Europe had been shattered.
ReplyDeleteI was in high school when I discovered Gilbert and Sullivan. Specifically, HMS Pinafore. I was puzzled to read that Ralph Rackstraw's first name was pronounced "Raife."
ReplyDeleteHow odd. I assumed that either Gilbert or Sullivan had lyrical or musical reasons to change that pronunciation. No idea what they would be, but either of those guys was way smarter than me so whatever reason it was, must have been valid.
Maybe one, two years later I come across the music of Vaughan Williams. And his first name, Ralph, also pronounced Raife. Shaw was right, Britain and America are two nations separated by a common language.
I did not know that Steve.
ReplyDeleteThat explains our local blog whizz named Rafe.
A lot of Brit names aren't pronounced the way they're spelled, for all sorts of reasons. I've heard frustrated US tourists here, 'Why don't they spell (a town's name) the way they pronounce it!!!' ('Now dear', said the wife...). The guy was on a train and understandably worried that when they reached their station they would not understand the intercom announcement.
P.G. Wodehouse often mocked British names... in one story, Bertie Wooster tells somebody that his last name is pronounced just like "Worcester." In another, a character's last name, Mapledurham, is pronounced "Mum." Stanly Feartherstonehaugh Ukridge's middle name is "Fanshaw." It wasn't until the David Fry and Hugh Laurie TV series that I found that Barmy Fotheringay-Phipps' last name was "Fungy-Fips."
ReplyDeleteRecently a favorite YouTube chef of mine added a tablespoon of "Wash Your Sister Sauce" to a recipe. Since then... well, not everyone who hears it thinks it's as funny as I do, apparently. Some affect to consider it stupid.
Well... they're stupid!
'just like "Worcester" ' haha, thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteThere are some wonderful old English family names. "Younghusband" is one I saw somewhere, and the delightful "Toadvine" (which I have used in a couple of my own stories).
ReplyDelete