Watch: The perfect Welsh pronunciation from a US quiz show host
A TV show host perfectly nailed the Welsh language in an episode of long-running US quiz, Jeopardy.
America’s favourite quiz show which is celebrating its 60th year in 2024 is watched by millions stateside.
When contestant Troy picked the ‘organizations’ category, Jeopardy host Ken Jennings posed the question ‘Helping preserve a heritage, the British groups Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg is also known as this language society?’
Troy quickly knew the answer and correctly answered: ‘Welsh’.
This question on tonight’s @Jeopardy episode was waaaay too easy …..
💪🏼🏴 pic.twitter.com/Vn29WrPrCR
— Jay – Upper East Side Hawk (@wasUESH) August 16, 2024
However, we couldn’t help but be impressed by Ken’s impeccable pronunciation of Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg.
No doubt the host was briefed and practiced how to pronounce Welsh spellings.
Which shows it doesn’t take much to treat the language with the respect it deserves.
So hats off to Ken, a former record winning contestant on the US gameshow, who became Jeopardy host in 2022. Da iawn ti!
Ken’s sterling effort was in stark contrast to a BBC newsreader who was slammed for her terrible pronunciation of a Welsh national park.
Catherine Byaruhang was seemingly unprepared when it came to pronouncing Bannau Brycheiniog on a BBC news bulletin on Saturday.
In a story about the increase in the numbers of tourists visiting one of Wales’ most “Instagrammable” national parks, she mangled her words badly when attempting to pronounce the name of the park.
When the clip was posted online the newsreader was criticised by many from Wales on social media.
Posting the clip on Facebook, Ashley Drake pointed out that the BBC has a pronunciation unit to assist their broadcasters to get it right.
“Did she miss the memo or was the pronunciation unit on their summer holidays at Dolygoloo or Betsi Co-ed?” he said. “This simply isn’t acceptable.”
Iwan Rhys Roberts added: “Would this happen if the location was in another country or the name wasn’t in Welsh?”
While one Facebook user suggested that the newsreader had ‘given it her best shot’, Essex Havard replied: “Sorry, but ‘gave it her best shot’ might be ok if you are on holiday there but not if you are representing the UK’s national broadcaster on their news programme.”
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Eeer iaith? Still, not bad.
Jesus, really does put it into perspective how terrible BBC are, and how little they think of us. Also love how they correctly associated the exonym term British with the exonym term of Welsh. Difference being the Latin exonym used to describe us was used for close to 2000 years, and the Anglo term has only been used for 200.
Credit where credit is due. No doubt he or his production team did a bit of research beforehand rather than most presenters in Britain not familiar with Welsh pronunciation do by butchering our language & place names. Although I am aware that Ken Jennings does have some distant Welsh ancestry, but this is pure speculation the reason why he was able to pronounce accurately, Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg.
In my experience people from outside britain nearly always show far more respect to Cymru, Cymraeg and Cymry than that shown by those outside Cymru but within britain!
The bbc are one of the worst for the lack of respect shown for people’s names and placenames, in particular the subtitles!