www.theguardian.com/...
I have a difficult time pronouncing people’s names for two reasons; first, I was born in South Florida from New York City and Philadelphia breeding stock, and grew up in Miami Beach delicatessens. Second, I lost some of my hearing in the speech range from close proximity to jet aircraft engines without proper hearing protection. So I have to ask new people when I first meet them, to pronounce their name to me slowly, a few times. I’m always concerned I didn’t hear them correctly.
Now I have discovered that I have been pronouncing the name of the Capital of Ukraine as if it were a tasty dish of chicken being fed to a Russian Tzar.
The Guardian newspaper/site in England has cured me of this, now very offensive, slight. When the elected President of a sovereign European country puts on a military uniform to go out and throw Molotov cocktails at an invading Russian army who’ve placed a price on his head, I feel I have an obligation to correctly pronounce the name of the place he chooses to defend with his life.
Also, I am now totally over Russian Vodka. No longer shall Stolichnaya cross my pickled lips. These are the sanctions I place upon Putin’s Stoligarchs. Besides, Costco’s Kirkland Vodka ( the French Grey Goose ) is cheaper and better, even if I have to drive all the way down to California to get it.