This American Life

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

So I downloaded the app and I'm starting at the beginning because I loved the 4 episodes I got for free - the four most recent.

They are ok in the beginning (1995) but I think it took them a while to find their grove.

But I'm a begin at the beginning kind of person so this is how I roll.

[SoonerTexan]

Something random. The contributors on TAL ALWAYS seem to match their voices. Ira Glass looks exactly like I imagined he would. Sarah Vowell...yep. (her voice is so annoying) Maybe not David Sedaris as much. Usually it isn't the case.

There is something about NPR hosts that always gets DH and I. You feel like you know them. And every so often you want to call their crap. Michele Norris, I'm looking at you. It's not MEE-chelle. That's not how you pronounce Michele. So let it go when someone gets it wrong.

[poky]

There is something about NPR hosts that always gets DH and I. You feel like you know them. And every so often you want to call their crap. Michele Norris, I'm looking at you. It's not MEE-chelle. That's not how you pronounce Michele. So let it go when someone gets it wrong.

My friends named Tamara who pronounce it differently from each other would disagree that mispronouncing a name is no big deal just because the person doing the mispronouncing happens to only have experience with one pronunciation.

That said, I've never known for sure (because I never bothered to look it up) whether her name is Michele or Nichele.

Also, I watched the cinecast of last week's wait wait don't tell me...and the guy in the opening band introduced Peter and Carl as "Peter SaGALL and Carl KaSELL". Obviously not a fan.

[SoonerTexan]

It's Michele, spelled exactly that way. I actually don't think she is on NPR anymore, but she was EXTREMELY obnoxious in how she pronounced it and would get all over any guests who pronounced the traditional way. She used to say it exactly like this "MEE-chele." Apparently it was the way her father pronounced it, so I'll give her that, but it came off as, "I'm a radio correspondent and so unique and special so don't you dare forget my name" to me.

Tamara is different to me--I've heard it pronounced TAM-ARA and TA-MARA equally often.

[Sheherezade]

I've got a neighbor here that jumped all over - everyone - on Facebook about her pet peeve. People can't seem to get the spelling of her name right. It's Kristin. K-R-I-S-T-I-N. How hard is that, people??? That's the NORMAL spelling and everyone should know that. I realized she was railing at me -- because I'm used to our very own Kristen Math. K-R-I-S-T-E-N.

Oy.

My pet peeve? People that get their panties in a bunch because you don't know that their way of doing something is normal and yours in flawed.

I never knew that Carnegie was Car NAY gee until I started listening to NPR, though. *blush*

[diggitydot]

Our last name is ALWAYS mispronounced and no one gives a shit, least of all me. I'd actually rather no one know my name. Ever.

Ye gads, I'm an introvert...

[MrsK]

I've got a neighbor here that jumped all over - everyone - on Facebook about her pet peeve. People can't seem to get the spelling of her name right. It's Kristin. K-R-I-S-T-I-N. How hard is that, people??? That's the NORMAL spelling and everyone should know that. I realized she was railing at me -- because I'm used to our very own Kristen Math. K-R-I-S-T-E-N.

Oy.

On that note, is it "KRIST-IN" or "KER-STIN". I always say "Krist-in" which really pisses off the "Ker-stins".

I remember handling a transaction with Lehrman Bros Bank years ago and their counsel having a tantrum because I pronounced it "Lehr-man" and he insisted that it's "Lee-Man." I assure you that if Hyman and Hershel Lehrman joined my synagogue, they would be referred to as the "Lehr-man Brothers" and not the "Lee-Man Brothers." Funny how pronounciations are changed to conform with the majority.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

If it's spelled K-R-I, then Kristin (like Christopher), but K-I-R is Kirsten Dunst

DH doesn't get the German E-I/I-E pronunciation rules and argued with me over someone being a "stine" or a "steen"

[MrsK]

I'm not talking about "Keer-sten" vs. "Kris-ten". But "Ker-sten", with a short e in the first syllable. This. And the whole German e-i/i-e pronounciation thing is why my last name is the pits for those of you who know my last name.

[WolfpackWife]

Sarah Vowell...yep. (her voice is so annoying).

I"m so glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. When I first heard her I was like "how are they letting this person speak on the radio??"

[HouseofWool]

I've got a neighbor here that jumped all over - everyone - on Facebook about her pet peeve. People can't seem to get the spelling of her name right. It's Kristin. K-R-I-S-T-I-N. How hard is that, people??? That's the NORMAL spelling and everyone should know that. I realized she was railing at me -- because I'm used to our very own Kristen Math. K-R-I-S-T-E-N.

Oy.

My pet peeve? People that get their panties in a bunch because you don't know that their way of doing something is normal and yours in flawed.

I never knew that Carnegie was Car NAY gee until I started listening to NPR, though. *blush*

But I've never heard it called Car NAY gee Hall....

[poky]

But I've never heard it called Car NAY gee Hall....

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/ny...yi-019240.html

Q. I always thought the concert hall on 57th Street was pronounced CAR-ne-gie Hall. Now I hear announcers on National Public Radio refer to the car-NAY-gie Corporation. What did Mr. Carnegie himself prefer?

A. ''Mr. Carnegie was, of course, born Scottish, and the correct pronunciation of his name is car-NAY-gie,'' said Susan King, a spokeswoman for the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the grant-making organization established by the philanthropist. The corporation, she added, is adamant about getting the name right, and so informed NPR.

That pronunciation was seconded by a spokesman for Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, who checked with a linguist on the faculty.

Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1835, and was one of the industrial age's greatest self-made men. Immigrating to Allegheny, Pa., he went to work at age 13 as a bobbin boy in a cotton mill. At 65, he sold his steel company to J.P. Morgan for $480 million and gave most of it away, establishing 2,509 public libraries as well as major education and peace foundations.

[WolfpackWife]

I"m so glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. When I first heard her I was like "how are they letting this person speak on the radio??"

ST...another thing that sort of irks me about the people's voices on the show...the way Ira says "American". It just kills me. It sounds like he's saying "Americag" and each time I'm like EEEHAAAAHHH just say it correctly!!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Also, since this thread has become kind of about NPR in general...can we talk about Diane Reems voice? I HATE IT. DH thinks I'm mean/crazy but I literally cannot listen for one second without turning it off.

[oceanchild]

It's Michele, spelled exactly that way. I actually don't think she is on NPR anymore, but she was EXTREMELY obnoxious in how she pronounced it and would get all over any guests who pronounced the traditional way. She used to say it exactly like this "MEE-chele." Apparently it was the way her father pronounced it, so I'll give her that, but it came off as, "I'm a radio correspondent and so unique and special so don't you dare forget my name" to me.

My mom used to work with her at AP Radio, and says, "I knew her when she was still MIH-chele."