Annoying Lyrics

[Etch]

My mention of "Four A.M. in the morning" in another thread reminded me that I hate it when ELO sing "accroche-toi" as "accrochez-toi" in Hold on Tight (to Your Dreams). They've only just gone and played it on the radio... argh! :-D

[Barsel]

WOT! They pronounce a word wrong and you hate it?

[bednobs]

how should it be pronounced? I shall immediately inform my nine YO who loves that song andnever pronounces it right!

[mushroom25]

that's what the French do - when a word with an "e" at the end is sung in French, the "e" is pronounced. in that respect, ELO were perfectly correct.

[Etch]

bednobs - it should be pronounced "acrosh", the final 'e' is not sounded.

[Etch]

If the 'e' is sounded it's more of an "uh" sound than "ay".

[Mamyalynne]

https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=accroche-toi%20%C3%A0%20ton%20r%C3%AAve&op=translate&hl=en

[Barsel]

I used to shop at Bon Marche and like lots of people called it Bon Marsh until customers were told it should be pronounced Bon Marshay
Ridiculous.

[Etch]

Ah, Barsel, that's because 'Marche' is actually 'Marché', the last letter being an 'e' with an acute accent - like café and, more controversially, Nestlé.

[bednobs]

is there any credence in what mushroom says though?

[Etch]

Now, now, bednobs! If you click the 'Listen' icon in the Google Translate link the pronunciation is as I suggested, but I would admit that when sung, an "uh" sound would make it flow better - "accroshuh twah".

[gingejbee]

^yes, mushroom has a fair point...I listen to lots of French music radio, and it is just as he(?) said...

[Barsel]

Nestlé. used to be called Nestles and is café pronounced Cafeee or Cafaaa?

[Etch]

Barsel, I would pronounce it "caffay".

[bednobs]

but google translate is not singing it though etch!

[gingejbee]

Barsel...it depends on whether you wish it to sound like it should (ie as the French would say it) or (be typically British) and Anglicise it.

[Barsel]

Didn't do any languages at school except English, so I've no idea how these words are supposed to be pronounced.
I can remember when I was telling my daughter I was going to buy a Gilet pronounced Gillit, she couldn't stop laughing.
Not as funny as when my old Mum tried to pronounce pizza and quiche when we first saw them in the shops.

[Etch]

Yes, bednobs, and an "uh" sound would be fine, but not "ay" (as in "say"). "Ay" is the sound when a word ends with 'é' or 'ez'.

[bednobs]

up there you told me it should be prononced accrosh; now you say accroshuh. You dont seem to be in a position of strength to complain about ELO :)

[barry1010]

Lots of songs have words with added extras to help the rhythm and flow, or words that are mangled. It doesn't bother me

[Barsel]

It doesn't bother me either Barry as I don't understand it anyway.