G'day,  Bob Fitterman writes (MMD980914):

> Bravo, David.  I like the idea of a glossary on the web.  But,
> I'll tell you what feature I'd love to see in such a glossary:
> a little button you can click to hear the *pronunciation* of the word.

To which Robbie replies:

>[ What a great idea !  We have among our subscribers many native-
>[ speakers of these foreign phrases, and many of the MMDers who
>[ perform in public with their instruments have nice voices,

Hmmm.  Unless we want to start World War III, I wonder if this is such
a great idea.  For relatively normal foreign (to us Americans) words,
probably it's a very good idea, but having just been through the
"Marque Ampico" thing, and having also had the misfortune to hear and
see the wretched video tape put out by one of the major associations in
which a "nicely voiced" narrator (who should know better) makes
reference to a "Nobby Am-PEE-ko", I wonder...

The same problems evidence themselves in piano technology: what is
to one technician a "balancier" (sometimes with truly remarkable
pronunciations) is to another a "repetition lever".  Further, for
the German terms, shall we have a Berliner or a Bavarian do the
pronouncing?  For the American, a Michigander or a Mississippian?

Bob Fitterman concludes with:

> Now the challenge will be finding some people qualified to provide
> the sound clips and for you to know they got it right.

To which I say, That indeed is the very heart of the problem!

Dean Randall
in sunny Tacoma, Washington
mailto:pianolists@earthlink.net

 [ The FAQ will tell about the different words, so the written text is
 [ not a concern.  I suppose a Berliner should pronounce "Bacigalupo"
 [ for us, and a Schwartzwalder can say the names of the Black Forest
 [ terms.  But you're right: for pronouncing "Calliope" we should have
 [ a variety of American speakers!  -- Robbie