Click to use the 

Talking Dictionary 740. You Say Burrito, I Hear Statico

Repeat

Bob called New York City's public radio station, WXPC. He told the ombudsman."You used to be an American English station. Nowadays I'm hearing about 70 percent English, 20 percent Spanish, and 10 percent Other. so, 30 percent of the time, I might as well be listening to static. You interview someone somewhere, and you say their name and their place in their native language. That's fine, if you speak that language. But I don't. Give me the name and place in the English version of the native language. don't say Frahn–sees–co?say Francisco! it's not Chee–lay?it's Chile! Then, to create even more static, you let the interviewee jabber on in his native language. This isn't WXPC anymore?it's the Tower of Babel!? The ombudsman said."Sir, we're just trying to appeal to multilingual speakers." Bob said."Fine. Then create a new, multilingual station, and leave this one alone."

    MENU    

740 Copyright © Mike Carlson. All rights reserved. www.eslyes.com