Some more eccentricities of pronunciation

Some more eccentricities of pronunciation

Spanish television announcers are lax when it comes to telling the viewers about the films they interminably show. Perhaps they do it on purpose, though I doubt that. This might have something to do with the fact that Spain is the only Spanish-speaking nation in the world where they still dub foreign language films into Castilian. No Latin-American country does this. They use sub-titles. Someone asked a Minister in the Thirties why Spain does this. The reply was appropriate for the Thirties, but not for the Noughties and after: “If we used sub-titles the people won’t understand the film, as few can read”. Can this explanation still stand today, after decades of compulsory education?

My particular bugbear is what the announcers, especially on national television, do with the names of the stars. There are no prizes at all for anyone who can make head of tail of the following famous names, heard during Spain’s television programmes during the last sixteen months:

Hon Winey

Gregorio Peh

Pol Niuma

Kataryn Hebba

Owdry Hebba

Robbie Guiliam

Jen Hagma

Ellen Bonnam Carrta

Madaymen

Madillen

Daniel Ratcleef

Rooper Grin

Enma Whatso

Kevin Kossna

Richa Boorta

Broo Willie

Tomcrew

Seen Coneri

Deerk Beaugar

Ewardfo

Robbarefa

Antonio Banderas (what’s HE doing here? But beautifully enunciated!)

Aleginnie

Lorenz Oliva

Weego Morteser