Everything Everywhere Daily · Thursday, October 1, 2026
The host addresses a listener's question about the pronunciation of place names and personal names, explaining that English often has different pronunciations than original languages. He provides examples like Van Gogh, Rome, and Paris, noting that local pronunciations can sometimes be unknown or lead to pretentiousness.
“English is a weird language. We pronounce words differently in different places, and some place names have unique local pronunciations that make no sense based on spelling alone.”
“In Van Gogh's case, the proper Dutch pronunciation uses a sound that really isn't in the English language, so it's pronounced differently. It would be van hoogh.”
“Often, there's no way to know what a local pronunciation might be unless you've been to that area, especially if the place is more secure.”