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Pronunciation
Gridling
Posts: 3
I am eternally irritated by gardeners not realising that Kniphofia is named after Herr Kniphof. Being German, his name is pronounced K nip hof. ( hof means a courtyard or formal area, and the K is pronounced) The plant is not named after a Greek, when ph would be pronounced f . Hence K nip hofia. It would still be bearable without the pronounced K, but there are NOT two f sounds. Please broadcast this to the linguistically challenged English speakers!
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Posts
Did you mean that post to as rude as it appears?
Monty Don went to great efforts to explain this on a programme last year ... however I don't expect it to have any influence on the way it's pronounced by people and I don't expect that he does either.
I am constantly irritated by the mispronunciation of lots of things, and the Victorian Hellenization of the pronunciation of many East Anglian Anglo Saxon place names is a constant bugbear. However I know that I am a linguistic pedant and I have accepted that most people are not.
Last edited: 16 September 2017 15:56:58
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We have a local village called Woolfardisworthy" , pronounces Woolziry.
I'd have to say my GW bugbear is " Rising to a crescendo"
A crescendo IS the rising. " Rising to a climax " is , what I'm sure, they mean.
Classic first post of someone who has no intention of becoming a regular forum member. Just showing linguistic superiority over the rest of us.
I do know how to pronounce Kniphof (and Kniphofia) but I don't find it necessary to belittle those who don't.
So I'll post this then ignore.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Attempting to Nut, but not succeeding ... not on this forum
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
nee-fof-ee-a !!!!
from The Collingridge Dictionary of Plant Names (Allen J.Coombes) 1985 .
Gridling , this IS the correct pronunciation
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Your self-assumed 'superiority' is even more annoying than mispronunciations .
Hostafan1
Stayed at Woolfardisworthy many many years ago whilst still at primary school . Seemed a world apart then (1970's) from my home in Nottingham . Woke up to the sound of sheep instead of traffic!
Perhaps we should all 'knip hoff' and do something else rather then entertain people with nowt else to worry about.....I'm having a cuppa instead
# You say TomAto, and I say tomaato....and all that jazz
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Paul B3, you will know all about Rainworth, Blidworth, and Southwell.
( Renn erth, Blid erth, and Suthell)
fidgetbones
Used to live at Ravenshead near Blid-erth ! Frequented Suthell market and GC regularly ; there a couple of weeks ago !
Friend of mine used to work at Hucknall (Uckna) colliery years ago
!