Friday, September 01, 2006
Kalinary or Kulinary?English is a very funny language. I am not a perfectionist or at least I try hard not to show that I am one.
Recently, at a very important speech a very interesting reference to an international competition was made. And for some reason, that made a huge impression on me. Not because I was impressed with the reference made but rather amused with how Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans reacted when I highlighted it. Guess no one would really take note of such things except a handful and I happened to be one of them.
The reference was to an International Culinary Competition. It was pronounced as 'kulinary'. Now like I have said before I am no linguist but just particular how things are said. It counts for the image projected.My uncle who has lived quite a fair bit in Australia was in my place when that speech was aired. We stared at each other.
'Kalinary'? or 'Kulinary'? Which was it? Considering the fact that the speaker fumbled over the sentence and later emphasized the word, we were quite confused. Have all of us been pronouncing it wrong all these years? Had the advertisements been wrong? What was it? British English? American English? Singlish? I mean we are a molten pot...I don't really think we are still melting...but then again it's just my opinion, but what was it?
Well, just to please my curiosity, I took down the New Collins International Dictionary of the English language.It stated kalineri, with all the weird symbols that I can't type here. But well...that's the British English way of things. Maybe the speaker was using American English? Well, I don't know.
I went to work the next day and casually asked the few that I know how to pronounce the word. All had knew what the word was, thank god for that... and pronounced it in British English. But when I highlighted the speech, there was this sudden u-turn effect...a doubt...they cast doubts on their way of pronouncing it. I wonder why no one had enough guts to say it was wrong, I supposed they felt they were no linguist either or they were just too cautious of making comments or they were just adopting the 'Singaporean culture' -don't bother what's said unless it affects your pockets. I never can conform to that...and hope I never do...cause I think it's too shallow...
Well, I asked a Scottish that I met recently and she was amused, I wouldn't want to fully quote her but I am sure it means something when someone asks now where did that come from? referring to the accent of the speaker.
Oh well...I have since given the matter a rest but I sure would like to say for the record that we are all humans, we make mistakes. Just coz someone says something in an important speech, it does not mean that it's god-spoken words. You still need to analyze it. And I am not only referring to the words kalinary or kulinary. ;>
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Shari, The Beauty With Brains
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