The Great Gate of Kiev, from Mussorgsky’s masterpiece Pictures at an Exhibition, is how I first learned of the city. Up until a few years ago, the only way I ever heard it pronounced was kee-EV. Gradually, news broadcasters began to call the city Keev, citing something about “That’s how the locals pronounce the name of their city”. That being a rather questionable proclamation, I decided to investigate. Over the past few days, I have carefully listened to several Ukrainians speaking about their capitol city, and not a one called it Keev. They also did not say kee-EV, however all pronounced it with two syllables. I challenge anyone to find me a native Ukrainian who calls the city Keev. That is not to say that kee-EV is any closer to the “proper” pronunciation, but it is no worse. And it sounds much more lyrical to my ear.
When a language is spoken by a
non-native, and is also transliterated from a different alphabet, there is no correct
way to pronounce it in English.
Should the world now adapt the
practice of only saying the names of foreign cities the same as the
locals? By that reasoning Germany should
be called Deutschland, Cairo – Al Qahirah, Moscow – Moskva, Rio
de Janeiro, Hee-o. I won’t even
mention the inaccuracies when attempting to pronounce the name of a city where the
local idiom is a tonal one. It simply cannot be done. It is an impossibility to
assign a politically correct spelling or pronunciation to any geographical
location. In the big picture, it does not matter.
With the exception of a very
few, no non-native speaker – other than small children – will ever speak
another language without an accent. Again, as long as one is understood, it is
of no importance. I speak a few languages fairly well and I have always been
able to get a good grip on any accent. Still, I doubt I will ever enunciate the
words as well as one who grew up with the language. The reason for this is all
the muscles in the face and mouth and throat need to be developed from the earliest
age. If not, the brain never learns how to use those muscle combinations. Maybe
it’s not quite atrophy that sets in, but something similar.
In order to mimic the sounds
of a parent or teacher, a child must be able to see the face and mouth as well
as hear the words. When that mouth is covered by a mask, the ability for a
child to replicate a word is severely hindered. Ask any adult to attempt to
learn a new language from a teacher whose mouth is covered. It will not work.
Language is both auditory and visual.
The vast majority of the states
have now carried out a real-time, two-year experiment, in the damage done to children
attempting to learn language from masked adults. No doubt someone in the future
will use this as a doctoral thesis. Regrettably for those small children who
had to endure the torture of masks while trying to learn, it is too late. Some kids
will be fine, others may never fully recover. All perpetrated in the name of pseudo-science.
I have now cleverly woven together
the two insanities that are currently permeating our world. Regrettably, one
has taken over the other. While the Covid lies continue, the narrative is rapidly
falling apart and the truth, that has always been out there, is becoming more widely
accepted. But when the Powers that Be feel they are losing their control of
the populace, they switch as fast as they can to the next alarming situation.
After all the destruction that the false covid hysteria has brought, I honestly
did not think it could get worse. But I was wrong.
We have gone from covid panic to
the current attempt at regime change in Russia in record time. Masked profile
pictures switched to yellow and blue flags in the blink of an eye. All the Free
Speech-ers who gladly handed in their membership cards two years ago have now relinquished
their No More War bumper stickers in favor of promoting a nuclear conflict.
For the past two years, those
who shared my thoughts about the China virus and tyrannical government mandates
have been maligned and ostracized. Nevertheless, there were always a few sane voices
on TV who were open to discussion of the subject. In this new rush to destroy
the world, there is barely a whisper to be heard warning of the insanity of it
all.
With all the advances in
technology and availability of information, one would think that people would
do the simplest of research to better understand the current geopolitical situation,
the military industrial complex, and the real reasons for seemingly the entire
US government going down a hot road to a hot hell.
I will leave you with the words
of Dr. Michael Savage. He explains exactly what is going on. I join him in a Prayer
for the Ripples of Peace.
