Train company says they've been pronouncing Derbyshire town incorrectly and records announcements again
A train company says they've been pronouncing the name of a Derbyshire town incorrectly. Northern says they've been saying Ilkeston the wrong way, alongside several other places on their routes.
They're now amending the pronunciation from Il-kes-ston to Ilks-tonne but they're also appealing for advice if they've made a mistake - meaning there's still time to offer Il-son as an alternative. Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “I’d like to thank everyone that has sent in their feedback so far.
I've heard it pronounced Il-kes-ston for nigh on forty years come t'backend. Sometimes Il-son as a nod to the old timers' dialect and sometimes Dump, but Ilks-tonne is all my eye and Betty Martin.
10 comments:
It's as well they don't run a train to Cockburnspath, eh?
Or Scunthorpe?
My favourite British place name may be Wetwang Slack. Sounds like a Hollywood actress.
Of course it can't have 3 syllables, otherwise "On Ilkeston Moor bar t'at" wouldn't scan.
Do they run trains through Shrewsbury - pronounced Shroosbery or Shrowsbury? I was told old locals use both, depending on which side of the river they grew up.
My favourites are Wrotham and Ightham in Kent (Root-am and I-tham).
Luckily, there isn't a station anywhere near Pratts Bottom down near Sevenoaks...
dearieme - we used to pass a sign to Wetwang on our way to the East Coast. One of those places you don't forget even if you have never been there.
Sam - "Ilson" works well for that. It would have to be changed to something like "Ilson Mill meks tat" though.
Woodsy - my favourite is Happisburgh which is apparently pronounced Haisbro. I think they do these things to confuse outsiders.
Scrobs - is that where BBC people live?
Sat navs are value for interpretations of place names, the Americanisation of English names has a certain value though no history.
Two local examples are Dereham, pronounced Dearam but the sat nav says De Re Ham and where I live Costessey, pronounced locally as Cosie like cosy without the O, sat nav it comes out as an unidentifiable cross betwenn causeway and a German schloss.
Another is Cley next the Sea, Cley for some strange reason is pronounced locally as Cly as in Sky.
Like Happisburgh Norfolk has dozens like this, it could explain the isolation experienced here.
Wiggia – and surnames can be just as weird, such as Cholmondeley, Featherstonehaugh or the fictional Hyacinth Bucket.
Higham?
Doonhamer - there are quite a few of those and I wouldn't be surprised if there are differences in pronunciation.
I worked years ago with someone who had the misfortune to be named Badcock, he would always, with good reason, use the name as Badco when talking on the phone, occasionaly changing the name by deed poll has a point.
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