> More thoughts produced by Sam and his words, words, words.
>
> What is the proper pronunciation of location names? Is it the way the locals pronounce it or the "proper" way, whatever that means?

To me, both. It depends. If you're speaking English, you talk about Paris, not Pawee or however the French pronunciation might be spelled phonetically. You say Moscow, not Maskva, which is the "correct" name according to the people who live there. Using the Anglicized version is completely correct if you are speaking English, in my opinion.

This is a bone of contention in New Zealand among some people who insist that Maori place names should be pronounced "correctly" in spoken English. I feel that if you're speaking English, you say "Wocka" instead of "Whakarewarewa", everybody still knows what you mean, and you have not shamefully devalued either language in any way.

Of course, technically there are *three* ways to pronounce a place name. The correct Maori way, the correct Anglicized way, and the way the newsreaders pronounce it, which seems to owe nothing at all to either of the first two ways.

Brunnen-"driven mad by years of weathergirls saying Toe Pour instead of Taupo"G