Word up, everybody say...

I was having an argument today with His Lordship regarding pronunciation. I won't go into the whole "Scone" vs "Scon" thing here, because everyone knows that it is "Scone". Go on, I dare you to disagree in the comments with a sound and logical argument! (To which I will respond: "Buttcookies!")

Today's was around the word Sigil. One of those bizarre G's that sound off as a J, or rather DG. I don't like it. I accept that SIDG-il is the right way to say it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I have this problem with a few other pet hate words - my least favourite being bouillon - where the L's turn into this bizarre Y sound. At least Welsh double L gives a nice hard, gruff sound.

The French sort of dissolve their letters until they become a watery, pathetic alphabet soup. I'm sure it's a very romantic language, but what do you pay more attention to when you hear it? "Avertissement!" or "Warnung!" - heh, give me Germanic based languages any day.

And "Mirepoix"!? It makes your mouth feel like it's jammed full of little tiny bits of yuck. Which is a fairly accurate description. I much prefer the Italian version Soffritto.

On the other hand, I do love the word "Interrobang".