[WaydayFep]

Like Obama?

You're late to the party, MrFun

[BinasiDombrs]

I'm surprised Sloww was smart enough to catch my completely unsubtle reference.

[AlistDakisa]

Nick! ol.

[WaicurtaitfuT]

This thread "PHUN-knee"

[uchetrip]

I ****ing hate when my university profs pronounce cities or names of people from other countries with a foreign accent. For Christ's sake, just say Hugo, not ew-GO. Jesus Christ, you teach at the ****ing University of Regina, get over yourself, you're barely qualified to call yourself an academic.

This criticism doesn't apply to the profs that actually speak a second language and have spent time in another country. My World Politics prof spent a few years in Bolivia, so I guess if he takes on a Spanish accent thats okay. My econ prof on the other hand, is so annoying with all the pretend accents she uses when she describes foreign places.

I may agree on place names, I certainly disagree on persons names.
When it comes to persons, I find it respectfull to try to be as close as possible to the way their are really called. The accent is not necessary, but at least try to name them as they are called.
For example, Georges Bush is called Johr-jh bush in french and not djohr-djh bush, and not jorh-jh büsh either (french u, german ü).
That is because the name Georges exists in french and is pronounced the french way, but Bush is nevertheless written and pronounced the english way.
Same goes for Bill Clinton: I know no french person who pronounce his name with the french -in- and -on- sounds.
I find it a form of respect for the persons.

For places, I find it more respectfull to say them in the same language as the rest of the sentence.
In french, I will speak about La Nouvelle Orléans, while in english i'll say New Orleens (and I hope I'll never have to say Desmoines in english... )

[Giselle]

WRT to liege - English takes the French name. Usually they take the french name, simply because of the former relationship of both languages.

[Uvgsgssu]

I once had a girlfriend whose mother was born and raised in Königsberg. I wonder what the entry of her place of birth is in her passport...

Similarly, quite a few obituaries in Dutch newspapers state place of birth 'Batavia' (nowadays Jakarta) wich I guess is correct, but a bit odd nevertheless.

[Pheboasmabs]

I've obviously never heard you speak, but I bet that you sound more like nuh-coal than I do if I make no effort to hide my accent. I exaggerated for contrast, but in general the English short i is more 'central' than the Swedish short i.

Click on the speaker:
http://www.answers.com/sill

Swedish sill:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...d9/Sv-sill.ogg

That's a strange pronunciation for sill. I have never heard an English speaker, anywhere, pronounce the short i like that.