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Lazy speakers!!!


Author:
Dwayne
Published in:
Jibber Jabber
Published date:
Sep 15, 2025 10:55pm
Post ID:
38
Tags:
info

I was taught how to pronounce the following words in primary school:

  • debut
  • due
  • puma

Most of my life I've heard these words pronounced correctly, however in recent years, I've heard the laziness in News Reports mostly Sports News, butcher these words and take the lazy approach. 

Day-boo, doo, pooh-mah!!! No that's not actually how you say them!! I'm in New Zealand and we speak British English not American English and especially not Australian English ( if there is such a thing ( hope not ) ).

I feel that the Ozzies have influenced the rugby head speakers on the Sports News here in New Zealand. They've become lazy and useless at speaking, except obviously when pronouncing Maori words, they've put in extra care to get these right recently. Very "in-your-face" now days. It's actually less effort to learn how to pronounce English words!

Anyway, what is the correct way to pronounce these words?

  • debut, British English: deɪbju - American English: deɪbyu
  • due, British English: djuː - American English: du
  • puma, British English: pjuːmə - American English: pumə

Look them up on the YouTubes or the Googles if you don't believe me!

I have email Three News and the NZ Broadcasting Standards to tell them how disappointed I am at hearing reporters butcher the English language. Still waiting on hearing some improvements on the telly!

What mispronounced words annoy you?

1 Comments

gravatar image

Dwayne

December 12th, 2025 - 2:41AM

I've actually emailed TV3 ( now Sky) three times all up. I keep getting messages back to say it's not breaking any standards. Well daaaa provide me a complaint form for this purpose then!? Or give me an email address at least! They also say my message has been passed on to the team a TV3 .... but really, will they read it? If they do will they care?

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