| Thursday, February 22, 2007 |
| tom-AY-to, tom-AR-to |
This afternoon I continued on one of my long standing traditions and went to the movies alone. I saw Babel, and before I give you my opinion of said movie, I have to comment on its name.
When I first saw this movie advertised, I assumed it was pronounced "BAY-bel". Not sure why... reminded me of Babel-Fish, and that's the way I'd always pronounced it... Anyway, after all the buzz about the movie on TV and everyone pronouncing it "BAB-el", I resigned to the fact that I was wrong, and went on my merry way. (I since realise it's most likely a reference to the biblical name Babel in reference to Babylon... or something). Then today when I went to purchase my movie ticket, I got up to the counter and said:
"One student to BAB-el, please"
The ticket girl looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "You mean BAY-bel?"
I simply raised my eyebrows at her and said, "Whatever."
*** However the hell you wanna pronounce it, the movie itself was brilliant. Heart-wrenching, but brilliant. At the beginning of the movie you can't imagin how each story will link together as they all seem worlds apart, but by the end it all makes sense. I particularly loved the Japanese story line... We saw the story unfold from the perspective of a deaf-mute teenage girl whose mother had committed suicide and who was desperate for validation. What an interesting perspective to take! I really felt for her. The situation with the Mexican nanny and her altercations with the police - uh!! My heart went out to her. It really opened my eyes to how things are not always how they seem, and those who appear to have committed some sort of crime can very easily be innocent! All in all, it was a eye-opening glimpse into humanity in all its forms, and a beautifully portrayed message that despite how different we are, we all experience pain, love and desperation. If you haven't seen it, go now!! Don't waste another second! It's well worth it. *** While I'm on the topic of pronounciation (well, I was on the topic.. cast your minds back to the top of the post!), let me ask you about that word itself - pronounciation. I would normally say it in the same way you'd say "pronounce" with "ciation" on the end: "Pro-NOUN-ciation" My best friend ridicules me for saying it this way. She believe's it's said "Pro-NUN-ciation" and that the very fact that I'm mis-pronouncing the word pronounciation is so ironic. I've always believed it's one of those words which you can say either way! Tomato, tomato! What say you?!
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posted by Jac @ 8:29 PM  |
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| 5 Comments: |
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I pronounce in the same way as you - BABel, but that's maybe just because in Lithuanian it is pronounced so. However my English dictionary says it should be Baybel... And proNUNciation is written without O after the first N, so probably it is pronounced the same too. Or at least my dictionary thinks so again.
I enjoyed this movie too. It is so unpredictable, shows the real life, not smth with the good ending. My friends said couple years ago there was another movie, very similar to Babel, called Crash. So now I want to see this one too.
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I always thought Babel, as in Babylonian (but that's the history dork in me). Though on pronouncing pronunciation, I should be one to talk. Not exactly a Southerner's strong point :)
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The Tower of Babel comes from the Book of Genesis. Humankind tried to build a tower to get closer to God, but God destroyed it and made mankind speak in different languages so they couldn't understand each other.
The film Babel, plays on this theme of misinterpretation and misunderstanding very well, even between people who speak the same language.
And I pronounce it proNUNciation. Stupid language, English!
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hmm. i would definitely say BAYbel, but if I think of it in terms of Babylon, I guess it makes sense it could be BABel.
As for pronunciation, it's definitely proNUNciation. Although there isn't a whole lot of difference when you say it out loud... at least when I do there isn't. Probably doesn't matter all that much!
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Wow, I should have actually checked the real spelling of Pronunciation before I went on a rant about it.
I've gone and made myself look really stupid now!! Especially since I seem to be the spelling nazi around here.
Oh god. Somebody get me a paper bag to put over my head.
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I pronounce in the same way as you - BABel, but that's maybe just because in Lithuanian it is pronounced so. However my English dictionary says it should be Baybel... And proNUNciation is written without O after the first N, so probably it is pronounced the same too. Or at least my dictionary thinks so again.
I enjoyed this movie too. It is so unpredictable, shows the real life, not smth with the good ending. My friends said couple years ago there was another movie, very similar to Babel, called Crash. So now I want to see this one too.