Re: Ask EU: ADSL woes

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ^W^W^W^W uk.media.radio.archers,
dave said ...
McAfee is one of about twenty names known as "Scotch-Irish" surnames. A
number of Scotch families immigrated through Ireland, and their names
got spelled Mc on their passports although they continued to pronounce
them as though they were still spelled Mac. If you doubt me just do a
search on Scotch-Irish surnames. McEnroe, McIntosh, McIlvoy are among
the others. Heard of the tennis player John McEnroe?

McAfee uses telephone confirmation proceedures extensively and it is
hard to be a tech for long without hearing a recorded message on their
system that uses the proper pronunciation. Just call one of their toll
free numbers and listen to the "boing...thank you for calling MAC A
FEE."

So when a tech mispounounces it by trying to pronounce it the way it is
spelled, we know the tech is a newbie.

Just phone one of their numbers and listen!

This post seems to have some inconsistencies. However the company decide
to pronounce their name is not necessarily how anyone who is familiar with
the tennis player would pronounce it. And as the company is American,
probably not consistent with how non USians would pronounce it anyway. My
first name is of Irish origin, pronounced by most people with a stress on
the first syllable, but by USians with the stress on the second syllable.

If McAfee is pronounced Mac A Fee, that would make McEnroe Mac En Roe,
with a stress on the second syllable that I wouldn't normally associate
with any of these names. The distinction in pronounciation between Mac
and Mc is not the problem most people have with the way McAfee is
pronounced. The problem tends to be mostly which syllable to stress more
or less than the others.

Personally, I pronounce McEnroe and Maken row, with the stress on the Mac.
This doesn't help with whether McAfee is pronounced Mak affee, stress on
the Mak and fee, or Ma caffee, stress on the caf.
--
Fenny

Xander: Why Couldn't Giles have shackles like any self respecting
bachelor?
.

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