[sheeno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes YES! At least in America they are wrong.

They probably changed the pronunciation to conform to American standards, that and correcting people 100 times a day just gets annoying. If he is origionally from Italy it was most likely 'grah-doe' to begin with.

 

[HybridVision]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes YES! At least in America they are wrong.

Is it a question of right and wrong?

I think it comes down to a man's right to choose the way his name, or his product's name, is pronounced.

My name is Cainan. I pronounce that Kay-Nan. But the original (biblical) pronunciation is Kay-Eye-Nan. However, when I tell people how I pronounce it they generally follow suit. It's courtesy really.

 

[Chri5peed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julz Astonishingly stupid thing to say. I think the Man Himself would know how to pronounce his name....

More to add. Its also a fact that Italians have difficulty actually pronouncing some English words properly, seen Sopranos...

So is it totally unbelievable to think English speakers in North America have adapted it for ease of use? John Grado might well be pronouncing right for his American family, but its not necessarily authentic or how Italians would say it.

 

[skudmunky]

who cares how you pronounce em, just listen and be happy!

I always said grey doe, not gray doe myself thouh.

 

[hugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chri5peed So if 100,000 Italian 'Grados' all pronounce it differently they're wrong?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chri5peed More to add. Its also a fact that Italians have difficulty actually pronouncing some English words properly, seen Sopranos... So is it totally unbelievable to think English speakers in North America have adapted it for ease of use? John Grado might well be pronouncing right for his American family, but its not necessarily authentic or how Italians would say it.

Uh yeh but we're not talking about an italian name. we're talking about an american product. when you invent a product you can call it whatever you want. and you can make it be spelt and pronounced howvere you want. it doesn't have to be in the dictionary or suit anyone elses' perception of how it should be pronounced. you own the company, you invent the product and you invent the name for your product.

As i said in the 3rd post (which rightfully ended with "endthread" because everything since has been redundant), the name is pronounced "grah-doe" (aproximately) but we're talking about a trademark here, not a person's name. the inventor of the product and the trademark says it's "gray-doe", and so it is.

edit: oh yeah, and if "authentic italians" pronounce his product as "grah-doe" they'd be wrong.

(i personally say "gra-doe" inside my head. however i'm australian and we dont really have the same harsh "a" sound that americans do. however i'm pronouncing it WRONG when i do this. when i say it aloud though i say "gray-doe")

 

[Sean H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by discord Playdoh.

Actually it's Playdough. But that is a perfect correlation on how to say Grado - it's just like Playdough - Gray-Dough.

 

[sheeno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean H Actually it's Playdough. But that is a perfect correlation on how to say Grado - it's just like Playdough - Gray-Dough.

Well, since we are talking about product names, he is right, it's Playdoh:

http://www.russellbeattie.com/notebo...es/playdoh.jpg

 

[MrEcted1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean H Actually it's Playdough. But that is a perfect correlation on how to say Grado - it's just like Playdough - Gray-Dough.

but what if it was Pladough, afterall it's not Graydo -=)

 

[Julz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chri5peed So is it totally unbelievable to think English speakers in North America have adapted it for ease of use? John Grado might well be pronouncing right for his American family, but its not necessarily authentic or how Italians would say it.

I never questioned the believablity. The point is, if I make running shoes called "Sopi Blerx" and I chose to pronounce it Soppy Bollocks, no number of "authentic" native speakers can tell me I'm wrong or that the millions of people pounding the streets with my Soppy Bollocks on their feet have been saying the name wrong.

What if your MSN buddy says the "G" is not hard but soft as in Girardelli cos that's how they say it in Palermo ? You gonna call them "Jz-ray-do's" ?

 

[mjg]

damn man,
it's gray doe

call the place up and find out, sheesh.

 

[Greisen]

You must excuse the Americans, they are not used to pronouncing foreign words. They especially have trouble pronouncing French words. I thought they were forced too learn French at school?

Europeans are more used to hearing foreign words, on holidays, like me in Italy, Austria or France. The Americans are lucky if they ever get outside the US border.

This is not to criticise anyone, but just my observation.

Ps.

I vote for “grah-do”

 

[fatko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridVision I don't think it's that simple. As a Brit, and as someone who only speaks English, my natural pronunciation was "grah-doh". But technically, since it's a product, and not a word in the dictionary, the correct pronunciation is however the creator of that product says it. I always use to pronounce Nike as nighk (as in night with a 'k'), but when I found out the it was pronounced ni-kee I started saying that. I think the importance of honouring the originator of the (brand) name outweighs personal preferance.

Well, Hong Kong as an ex-colony of UK, i pronounced it Grah-do naturally too.

 

[cheechoz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greisen You must excuse the Americans, they are not used to pronouncing foreign words. They especially have trouble pronouncing French words. I thought they were forced too learn French at school? Europeans are more used to hearing foreign words, on holidays, like me in Italy, Austria or France. The Americans are lucky if they ever get outside US border. This is not to criticise any, but just my observation. Ps. I vote for “grah-do”

No problem, just call John Grado, and ask him to pronounce his name your way. We have a solution!

 

[fatko]

Dun be stupid man
Many words are like that ... is it new?

Ass vs Ass
Dance vs Dance
Can't vs Can't

 

[Greisen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatko Well, Hong Kong as an ex-colony of UK, i pronounced it Grah-do naturally too.

Yes the A in Grado, like A in ass (English pronunciation)

My uncle in Manchester say Grah-do, like you and me…