PRONUNCIATION can make the difference between winning and losing, as was illustrated last Thursday night, on the American television show, ‘Jeopardy’.
Host Alex Trebek was asking the panelists for the new names of former British colonial territories.
He asked what is previously known British Guiana now called and, when one answerer said ‘Geeyana’, the moderator awarded him the $1,000 prize.
However, several minutes later, Trebek informed that the researchers failed to come up with that pronunciation, and the man’s winnings were reduced.
The correct answer, correctly pronounced by a rival, was accepted as ‘Guyana’.