How to correctly pronounce tricky foods
Wannabe foodies need never blush when ordering quinoa or inquiring after edamame, now a British food co-operative has collaborated with the guardians of the English language to produce a guide for commonly mispronounced foods.
The Oxford English Dictionary's (OED) head of pronunciation Catherine Sangster told The Independent her team monitored how English speakers pronounced the name of a foreign food or drink that had become popular.
"Some speakers will want to say the name in a completely authentic manner, matching the original language, and other speakers will be influenced by the spelling or prefer to anglicise the sounds," she said.
"In the dictionary, we give pronunciations that are accurate and also reflect the reality of how the word is being spoken."
The list devised by Co-operative Food and the OED:
1. Tzatziki - "tsat-si-key"
2. Bouillabaisse - "boo-yah-behss"
3. Ceviche - "seh-bee-tche"
4. Parmigiano Reggiano - "par-mee-djah-no rehd-djah-no"
5. Edamame - "ed-a-mar-mei"
6. Acai - "ah-sigh-ee"
7. Nicoise - "ni-swaz"
8. Chipotle - "chi-poat-lay"
9. Manchego - "man-chay-go"
10. Prosciutto - "pro-shoot-tow"
11. Crudites - "krew-dee-tay"
12. Gnocchi - "nyohk-kee"
13. Quinoa - "keen-wah"
14. Habanero - "habe-a-ne-reu"
15. Maraschino - "ma-ra-skeeno"
16. Bouillon - "bo-yon"
17. Rioja - "ree-o-ha"
18. Halloumi - "ha-lu-mi"
19. Anise - "an-is"
20. Guacamole - "gwah-kah-moh-leh"
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