Qatar

[Rexedgar]

When I was young and learning geography, the country in the title was pronounced “katar.” Now it is pronounced “cutter.” Was I mislead or did the pronunciation change in the years since my primary education?

 

[beefheart]

When I was young and learning geography, the country in the title was pronounced “katar.” Now it is pronounced “cutter.” Was I mislead or did the pronunciation change in the years since my primary education?

The M is silent.

 

[Rexedgar]

The M is silent.

“Are you from Cincinnati?” - my father, German born, American citizen retired to Europe when he ran across US tourists in public situations.
Also “blöde kuh,” when driving.....

 

[Skeptic Bob]

I have noticed the change also and actually remember discussing it with my Arabic teacher when I was in the Army. It is a difficult word for English speakers to say as none of the consonant sounds used in the word exist in English. Cutter is closer to the actual pronunciation than Katar. The closest English word to it, pronunciation-wise, would probably be gutter.

 

[Beaudreaux]

I have noticed the change also and actually remember discussing it with my Arabic teacher when I was in the Army. It is a difficult word for English speakers to say as none of the consonant sounds used in the word exist in English. Cutter is closer to the actual pronunciation than Katar. The closest English word to it, pronunciation-wise, would probably be gutter.

The sound of clearing your throat while saying a G and an H at the same time, is the sound that begins the word in the beginning. At least so I was told by a local.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

The sound of clearing your throat while saying a G and an H at the same time, is the sound that begins the word in the beginning. At least so I was told by a local.

That’s pretty accurate. Not that I am an expert. Throughout my career I was sent to school for Spanish, Cambodian and Arabic. Arabic just never stuck. If you give me an Arabic newspaper I can do a decent job of reading it out loud to you, but I won’t have a clue what I am saying.

 

[Chagos]

The sound of clearing your throat while saying a G and an H at the same time, is the sound that begins the word in the beginning. At least so I was told by a local.

Correct.

The beginning sound is as the "ch" in Loch (Ness).

English doesn't really have such a sound, even they have to revert to Scottish Gaelic (or Irish).

Of more mainstream European languages, Spanish probably comes closest. In which Josè is not Hoh-say but "cho"-sé.

Goes for Navahoh as well, which should be Nava"ch"o.

But WTH, if we kept saying Te"ch"as, we'd all have throat burn by now.:lol: