Re: Rhys Ifans! Welsh fans, another pronunciation pop question

Quoting Sally Caves <scaves@...>:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Cowan" <jcowan@...>
>
> > Ray Brown scripsit:
> >
> >> We this side of the Pond would just assume /'ajfAnz/ was an Americanism
> >> similar to the way we've heard _Iraq_ pronounced "I wrack" and _Iran_
> >> pronounced "I ran" in newsreels      :)
> >
> > I have heard the theory expressed that these mispronunciations began as
> > deliberate insults, like [ai't&lj@n] for "Italian", and have spread.
>
> I've heard that theory too.  I've also heard, from a friend expressing
> outright contempt, "Sad Damn," for Saddam, with an emphasis on the "damn."
I suppose that's still nicer than the "Sod Damn" (American accent) I've heard.

                                                           Andreas