We are just weeks away from the start of the season and I already dread having to listen to announcers completely and totally butcher Finnish names.* Now, I'm not saying I do a great job on pronunciation when it comes to some languages--frankly, I don't think I have EVER pronounced a French word or name properly--but I don't get paid like announcers do. I must say that most announcers are doing quite a good job with 'Filppula,' but they still don't have a clue about 'Valtteri.' Obviously, the reason this bothers me so much is because I am Finn and don't have to think twice about how to pronounce these names--well, at least MOST of the time. I really have a hard time with 'Teemu Selanne.' Still, it amazes me that Finnish names are so difficult for most people, because the rules aren't all that difficult.
I don't, by any means, want to imply that Finnish is an easy language--far from it. But, the extremely simplified rules to pronouncing words/names are quite easy to follow. And here goes:
--Every letter in the Finnish language is always pronounced the same way--every single time.
--Every letter is pronounced in all words--no silent letters.
--The first syllable of a word is the one that is stressed--with secondary stress on the third/fourth syllable in longer words.
Of course, there are some exceptions, but if these rules are followed, the chance of pronouncing a word properly--or very close--is quite good. I wish that the hockey announcers would learn--and use--these rules. But, if they don't want to learn the rules, they can always go here and LISTEN to the proper way to pronounce the names.
*I will, to a certain extent, excuse the mispronunciation of Finnish names by non-Finns. However, there is NEVER an excuse to pronounce the word 'sauna' wrong. NEVER! I WILL turn mean if I hear this pronounced incorrectly.
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