Ma Va Ragazzi!
I recently discovered a new restaurant in town by the name of "Due Amiche." It's an italian restaurant, that claims to have authentic food, even though it's rather terrible, but that's not the point. The point is, for those of you who are not familiar with the Italian language, "Due Amiche" is pronounced (pardon my freestyle pronunciation guide): Doo-eh A-mee-kay. It means "two friends," two friends that happen to be women, as "amiche" is the feminine plural form of "friends." I was driving with my parents when I first saw the restaurant from the freeway, and when I began commenting on the sign with Italian words, they responded with "Oh, that's 'Doo A-mi-chi.'" They of course know that I speak Italian, and when I told them the real pronunciation, they laughed because they have heard so many people pronounce it incorrectly, and just figured that they all had to be right.
Even though I wasn't at all that interested in eating there, I felt I had to get to the bottom of this dialect debacle, and make sure that at least the restaurant pronounced it's own name correctly, so I called them up to make sure they were open, and decided to pay them a visit.
To make a long story short, as sad as it might sound, they didn't pronounce their name right at all, and to make matters worse, they knew they weren't pronouncing it correctly, and weren't very interested in correcting the matter. Now I know why everyone all over town pronounces it wrong.
What blasphemy! I inquired about the owner, and was told that he came from New York City, where he had a similar place with the same name. He knows Italian, but understands that people here simply aren't going to be able to say the name correctly, and therefore, allows his employees to pronounce the name, as wretched as it sounds, just like it's patrons. Although I didn't ask if the owner is Italian, or of Italian decent, or someone with any sense at all, it is a crying shame to allow people to butcher the name of your business like that. It's one thing if you try to tell people correctly, and they simply don't get it, and continue to say the wrong thing, but it's completely shameful if you actually encourage them, by answering your phone knowing full and well that you're complete moron for pronouncing this very common Italian phrase totally wrong. It would be a disgrace to your Italian heritage if you're the owner of an Italian establishment, and were knowingly, or even unknowingly, advertising the language of your mother-country about has badly as possible. You may think that people are too ignorant to ever say the name correctly, but you're sure to make that a reality if you don't even give them the opportunity. I don't think I'll be able to ever eat there again, especially since their pizza was crap, knowing that they claim to be authentic Italian food, but show no pride in their supposed heritage by allowing the "market" to dictate how they pronounce their product. Be proud of your language, give the people of central Arkansas the opportunity to expand their cultural horizons...correctly. There's "Ciao Bacci" in Little Rock, which means "Goodbye Kisses," and anyone who goes there knows how to pronounce it, at least, by the time they leave. It's not that hard to educate people.
I plan to write a letter to the editor, and hopefully it will make the paper, the owner of the restaurant will read it, and some changes will be made.
hmph!
Even though I wasn't at all that interested in eating there, I felt I had to get to the bottom of this dialect debacle, and make sure that at least the restaurant pronounced it's own name correctly, so I called them up to make sure they were open, and decided to pay them a visit.
To make a long story short, as sad as it might sound, they didn't pronounce their name right at all, and to make matters worse, they knew they weren't pronouncing it correctly, and weren't very interested in correcting the matter. Now I know why everyone all over town pronounces it wrong.
What blasphemy! I inquired about the owner, and was told that he came from New York City, where he had a similar place with the same name. He knows Italian, but understands that people here simply aren't going to be able to say the name correctly, and therefore, allows his employees to pronounce the name, as wretched as it sounds, just like it's patrons. Although I didn't ask if the owner is Italian, or of Italian decent, or someone with any sense at all, it is a crying shame to allow people to butcher the name of your business like that. It's one thing if you try to tell people correctly, and they simply don't get it, and continue to say the wrong thing, but it's completely shameful if you actually encourage them, by answering your phone knowing full and well that you're complete moron for pronouncing this very common Italian phrase totally wrong. It would be a disgrace to your Italian heritage if you're the owner of an Italian establishment, and were knowingly, or even unknowingly, advertising the language of your mother-country about has badly as possible. You may think that people are too ignorant to ever say the name correctly, but you're sure to make that a reality if you don't even give them the opportunity. I don't think I'll be able to ever eat there again, especially since their pizza was crap, knowing that they claim to be authentic Italian food, but show no pride in their supposed heritage by allowing the "market" to dictate how they pronounce their product. Be proud of your language, give the people of central Arkansas the opportunity to expand their cultural horizons...correctly. There's "Ciao Bacci" in Little Rock, which means "Goodbye Kisses," and anyone who goes there knows how to pronounce it, at least, by the time they leave. It's not that hard to educate people.
I plan to write a letter to the editor, and hopefully it will make the paper, the owner of the restaurant will read it, and some changes will be made.
hmph!