How to say: Baalbek
| 12:05 UK time, Wednesday, 2 August 2006
A guide to words and names in the news, from Lena Olausson of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Pronunciation Unit.
"Today's name is the Lebanese town Baalbek (sometimes spelt Ba'albek).
"The pronunciation, BAAL-bek, is listed in English gazetteers and dictionaries and is an established anglicisation. The Arabic pronunciation has a pharyngeal consonant before the second A."
(.)
Comments
OK, I give up, what's a 'pharyngeal consonant'?
Should the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Pronunciation Unit not also give the correct Arabic pronunciation of "Baalbek" (بعلبك‎)? If one were to transliterate the name correctly, it would be written "Ba'labakk".
Similarly, Ö÷²¥´óÐã News seems to ignore the correct spelling and pronunciation for the "Bekaa" (البقاع) Valley, in which Ba'labakk is situated. It should be written and pronounced "Al-Biqa'".
Okay, so BAAL-bek is in English Gazetters and is an established anglicisation.
That's great... so what is Bombay if it not the established anglicisation of Mumbai? What is good enough for Lebanon is not good enough for India?
Perhaps it is because the 'pharyngeal consonant' does not trip off the tongue so easily? So if the localisation is easy to say, then go for it, if not go with the established anglicisation.
What mind bending inconsistant hypocracy... If we have to listen to Mumbai, I would like ... in fact I demand that the 'pharyngeal consonant' is honoured ;-)