A Conversation for Pronouncing British Placenames
Pronouncing British Place Names: Ingleby Barwick
Rosamund Started conversation Feb 3, 2011
Your on-line article on this subject makes the pronunciation of the suffix -wick very clear, yet BBC reporters now refer continually to the new town of Ingleby Barwick on Teesside using a phonic pronuniation of the suffix, including the w, rather than -ick as has always been the local pronunciation of the original hamlet of that name. They would not pronounce Berwick in this way. This is extremely annoying to those of us who have lived in the vicinity for decades and does nothing to enhance the reputation of BBC announcers and correspondants.
Pronouncing British Place Names: Ingleby Barwick
Icy North Posted Feb 4, 2011
Hi Rosamund, and welcome to h2g2
Yes, I imagine it must make you feel as if you live in a forgotten part of the country. There's no excuse, is there?
Wick is one of those really difficult endings to guess if you don't know it - I think I mention Gatwick, Warwick and Hawick, which are all different. The BBC should know to check it.
I find the travel reports are better at pronouncing names - they must have them on their computer somewhere.
Icy
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