Re: Pronuncing Pittosporum
Italians always like to pronounce their words in a Latin fashion and they put the stress in the second
syllable TOS
Tony & Moira Ryan wrote:
> Deborah Lindsay wrote:
> >
> > And then there is the great Pittosporum debate, pronounced Pit-TOS-por-um
> > by some and Pit-o-SPOR-um by others...depending much on geography I have found.
> > Here in the US it seems to be East Coasters who use the latter prununciation and
> > West
> > Coasters who use the former.I don't know many Mid-Westerners so I've no clue how
> > they
> > pronounce it:)
>
> Deborah
> I must admit I have been using the first pronounciation myself, but your
> query made me look closely at the word and this syllabation actually
> makes no sense for a basically Latin word. If, however, you divide it in
> the second way you get "sporum " as the ending, which is certainly
> scientific Latin and obviously refers to some characteristic of the seed
> formation.
>
> I must make an effort to change my ways!
>
> --
> Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
> Wainuiomata,
> New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
