Mallus and the 'Vo'!
Mallu sterotypes include people who say “YEM BEEE YAY” (instead of “EM-BE-AY”, the way it’s supposed to be pronounced). But there’s something else I’ve noticed too. Well, I don’t know if it’s only a Mallu phenomenon (others can substantiate). Anyways, as far as I know we have a problem with ‘vo’. And by that, I mean English words that start with a ‘v’ followed by an ‘o’.
Mallu sterotypes include people who say “YEM BEEE YAY” (instead of “EM-BE-AY”, the way it’s supposed to be pronounced). But there’s something else I’ve noticed too. Well, I don’t know if it’s only a Mallu phenomenon (others can substantiate). Anyways, as far as I know we have a problem with ‘vo’. And by that, I mean English words that start with a ‘v’ followed by an ‘o’.
It’s as good as the ‘v’ not being there (or rather, it ‘remaining silent’).
Have(n’t) you noticed how it’s always ‘Odafone Comedy Stars’ ; or come election time candidates are literally begging for ‘otes’ (ottu…as in a popular song from the movie Classmates – Veeshana party-kk-ottilla; tholkkana party-kk-ottila…!); or how bad the power situation is, that most of the times there is no ‘oltage’???
Other V’s are fine, though – we have no qualms in saying Vicks or Video, the way it’s meant to be said!
The paradox, though, is that we start adding the ‘v’ sound to words that begin with a ‘o’ sound. It’s wokay, and wolright (alright), and not to forget a certain Biology teacher: GONOPHORE - Gee-Woh-Yen-Woh-Pee-Hech-Woh-Aar-Eee! ;-)
2 comments:
My chem teacher in 11th pronounced 'Whole number' as 'Vol number'. As if Science wasn't puzzling enough as it is. :/ I wonder how she got to be a chemistry teacher without even knowing how to pronounce the jargon properly.
@ Divya - Well...Knowing something necessarily isn't connected to its pronunciation, right? If she knew what she was speaking, how she pronounced it can be forgiven! There are the kinds who don't know either. THEY are a problem.
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