Because we are a language education company, we always pay attention to correct pronunciation. It’s not always easy though. This list shows the most searched places in the world for correct pronunciation. You’ll be surprised at some of them – we were!
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- Cannes, France
Correct pronunciation: KAN or KAN-uh
Incorrect: CON or CONZ or CON-es - River Thames, London, England
Correct pronunciation: TEMZ
Incorrect: THAYMZ - Yosemite National Park, USA
Correct pronunciation: yoh-SEH-muh-dee or yoh-SEH-muh-tee
Incorrect: yoh-SEH-mi-nee or YOH-se-might - Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Correct pronunciation: LOO-vruh
Incorrect: LOOV or LOO-vray or LOO-vraa or LOO-ver - Versailles, France
Correct pronunciation: vair-SIGH
Incorrect: ver-SALES or ver-SAY-les - Seychelles, East Africa
Correct pronunciation: SAY-shellz
Incorrect: say-CHE-les - Ibiza, Spain
Correct pronunciation: ee-BEE-tha
Incorrect: ih-BEE-za or eye-BEE-tha or ee-BEE-za - Phuket, Thailand
Correct pronunciation: poo-KET
Incorrect: FUE-ket or fue-KET or FUH-ket - Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
Correct pronunciation: an-TEE-guh
Incorrect: an-TEE-gwah - Dubai, UAE
Correct pronunciation: doo-BAY
Incorrect: doo-BYE - Oaxaca, Mexico
Correct pronunciation: wah-HAH-kah
Incorrect: OAK-suh-kuh or oh-AX-uh-cuh - Maldives
Correct pronunciation: MULL-deevz
Incorrect: mal-DIVES or MAL-deevz or MOLE-deevz - Laos
Correct pronunciation: LOUSE (like “blouse”) or LOU (like “loud”)
Incorrect: LAY-os or LA-ose or LOSS - Beijing, China
Correct pronunciation: bay-JING
Incorrect: beige-ING - Seoul, South Korea
Correct pronunciation: SUH-ool or SOLE
Incorrect: SEE-ole or see-ULE - Reykjavik, Iceland
Correct pronunciation: RAKE-yah-veek
Incorrect: RAKE-juh-vick - Worcester, England (or Massachusets!)
Correct pronunciation: WUSS-tuh or WUSS-ter
Incorrect: WAR-chest-er or WAR-cess-ter - Budapest, Hungary
Correct pronunciation: boo-da-PESHT
Incorrect: boo-da-PEST or BOO-da-pest - Qatar
Correct pronunciation: KUH-ter
Incorrect: kuh-TAAR or KAT-aar - Edinburgh, Scotland
Correct pronunciation: ED-in-bruh or ED-in-bur-uh
Incorrect: ED-in-berg or ED-in-buh-row or EED-in-berg
Cheech Marin’s Chicano Art Museum Opens
We all know Cheech Marin as an actor and one half of the stoner comedy team of Cheech and Chong, but for years he’s also been an avid collector of Chicano art. He’s been collecting art for 40 years and parts of his collection have been touring museums and breaking attendance records during that time.
The collection is now housed in a new museum in Riverside, California. The museum is officially called the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, but let’s face it, “The Cheech” is much more appealing. It occupies 61,420 square feet in what was formerly Riverside’s main library. Cheech’s collection now numbers 700 pieces of Chicano art. He’s gifted 500 pieces to the museum where there are about 100 pieces currently on display, along with other exhibits.
Cheech’s interest in art started in the 1980’s and he credits his ex-wife, a painter for opening his eyes to contemporary art. He sees the art in his collection as mixture of Mexican art, world art and pop culture.
“It was also art history that I understood, because all these artists were either art school and/or university-trained,” Marin says. “So they weren’t naive backyard artists that did it on weekends — these are really serious artists that were influenced by world art.” He compared seeing the art to hearing the Beatles for the first time – the Beatles filtered American music through their lens and the artists filtered pop culture through a Chicano lens.
The term Chicano came into use in the 1960’s as a political movement for people of Mexican descent to express political empowerment, ethnic solidarity, and pride.
Finding out about Cheech’s other side is rewarding and show’s a different side of his personality and interests. Find a way to express yourself in a second language – contact Luminoso Language Services to learn Spanish at any level.
Un agricultor egipcio encuentra por error una estela faraónica de 2 mil 600 años/An Egyptian farmer mistakenly finds a 2,600-year-old pharaonic stele
Mientras preparaba su tierra, un agricultor descubrió una estela faraónica al noreste de El Cairo, con nueva información sobre una gran guerra contra los fenicios.
En las cercanías de la ciudad de Ismailia, en Egipto, un agricultor empezó su día de trabajo sin saber que encontraría una estela faraónica. Como sucede en los países con amplia riqueza cultural e histórica, es común que este tipo de hallazgos por parte de la población civil sean accidentales. Sin embargo, resalta el hecho de que la pieza está casi intacta, y podría datar de hace 2 mil 600 años.
An Egyptian farmer mistakenly finds a 2,600-year-old pharaonic stele
While preparing his land, a farmer discovered a pharaonic stele northeast of Cairo, with new information about a great war against the Phoenicians.
In the vicinity of the city of Ismailia, in Egypt, a farmer started his work day not knowing that he would find a pharaonic stele. As is the case in countries with extensive cultural and historical wealth, it is common for this type of discoveries by the civilian population to be accidental. However, it highlights the fact that the piece is almost intact, and could date from 2,600 years ago.
Descubren una nueva figura en las misteriosas líneas de Nasca en Perú/They discover a new figure in the mysterious Nasca lines in Peru
Uno de los misterios más fascinantes de los antiguos pobladores de América son las figuras gigantes (conocidas como geoglifos) dibujadas en la arena y las montañas del desierto de Nasca, en Perú.
El pasado 15 de octubre, el Ministerio de Cultura de Perú anunció el descubrimiento de un nuevo geoglifo en la Pampa de Nasca que se mantuvo oculto durante 2 mil años:
Se trata de la representación de un felino elaborada hace más de dos mil años y es obra de la cultura Paracas, una sociedad previa a la Nasca que coincide con ella un sinfín de rasgos culturales y se desarrolló en la costa del centro-sur de Perú, a unos 400 kilómetros de Lima.
La figura mide 37 metros de largo y su trazado tiene un ancho de línea de entre 30 y 40 centímetros. Está realizada sobre una colina rocosa que servía como acceso a un mirador en la zona, que permite apreciar más figuras en la cara opuesta de la montaña.
Para el artículo completo, haga clic AQUÍ
A new figure is discovered in the mysterious Nasca lines in Peru
One of the most fascinating mysteries of the ancient settlers of America are the giant figures (known as geoglyphs) drawn in the sand and the mountains of the Nasca desert, in Peru.
On October 15, the Ministry of Culture of Peru announced the discovery of a new geoglyph in the Pampa de Nasca that remained hidden for 2,000 years:
It is the representation of a feline made more than two thousand years ago and it is the work of the Paracas culture, a pre-Nasca society that coincides with endless cultural features and developed on the south-central coast of Peru. , about 400 kilometers from Lima.
The figure is 37 meters long and its outline has a line width of between 30 and 40 centimeters. It is made on a rocky hill that served as access to a viewpoint in the area, which allows you to see more figures on the opposite side of the mountain.
Read the full article in Spanish
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Arte contemporáneo en “Retratos en tiempos de cuarentena”/Contemporary art in “Portraits in times of quarantine”
¿CÓMO SE verían los genios del arte en esta época de pandemia? La propuesta del artista plástico colombiano Anyelo López lo devela en su colección “Retratos en tiempos de cuarentena”, una iniciativa que no solo cumple un papel estético, sino que promueve el autocuidado para prevenir el contagio del coronavirus.
Una Frida Khalo o un Van Gogh con mascarillas, son parte del proyecto de Anyelo, quien lleva cerca de 15 años pintando e influenciado por su papá, otro apasionado del arte con retratos de bailarinas, que comenzó en su cuenta de Instagram.
“Esta idea se desarrolla a partir del momento en que el país se declara en cuarentena. Lo que hago es retratar íconos de la historia del arte, los contextualizo con máscaras de prevención respiratoria y todo con un fin social, que es el autocuidado, la prevención y todo eso que debemos tener como ciudadanos para proteger al otro también”, le dijo López a EL NUEVO SIGLO.
Para saber más haga click aquí
Contemporary art in “Portraits in times of quarantine”
WHAT would the geniuses of art look like in this time of pandemic? The proposal of the Colombian plastic artist Anyelo López reveals it in his collection “Portraits in times of quarantine”, an initiative that not only fulfills an aesthetic role, but also promotes self-care to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
A Frida Khalo or a Van Gogh with masks are part of the Anyelo project, who has been painting for 15 years and influenced by her father, another passionate about art with portraits of dancers, which began on his Instagram account.
“This idea is developed from the moment the country is declared quarantined. What I do is portray icons from the history of art, I contextualize them with respiratory prevention masks and all with a social purpose, which is self-care, prevention and all that we must have as citizens to protect the other as well, “he said. López to THE NEW CENTURY.
To find out more in Spanish, click HERE
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El Día de Muertos/The Day of the Dead
El Día de Muertos es una celebración tradicional mexicana y en general mesoamericana que honra a los muertos. Tiene lugar los días 1 y 2 de noviembre y está vinculada a las celebraciones católicas de Día de los Fieles Difuntos y Todos los Santos.
Es una festividad que se celebra en México y en menor grado en países de América Central, así como en muchas comunidades de los Estados Unidos, donde existe una gran población mexicana. En el 2008 la Unesco declaró la festividad como Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad de México.
El paso de la vida a la muerte es un momento emblemático que ha causado admiración, temor e incertidumbre al ser humano a través de la historia. Por muchos años, en diversas culturas se han generado creencias en torno a la muerte que han logrado desarrollar toda una serie de ritos y tradiciones ya sea para venerarla, honrarla, espantarla e incluso para burlarse de ella. México es un país rico en cultura y tradiciones; uno de los principales aspectos que conforman su identidad como nación es la concepción que se tiene sobre la vida, la muerte y todas las tradiciones y creencias que giran en torno a ellas.
Festividades que se consideran precursoras del Día de Muertos en México son anteriores a la llegada de los españoles. Hay registro de celebraciones en las etnias mexica, maya, purépecha y totonaca. Los rituales que celebran la vida de los ancestros se realizan en estas civilizaciones desde la época precolombina. Entre los pueblos prehispánicos era común la práctica de conservar los cráneos como trofeos y mostrarlos durante los rituales que simbolizaban la muerte. No obstante, la antropóloga Elsa Malvido ha cuestionado la explicación del origen prehispánico del Día de muertos, destacando la continuidad de tradiciones surgidas en la Europa medieval.
Hay que destacar que esta celebración no es propia de todos los mexicanos puesto que, pese a ser una fiesta que se ha convertido en un símbolo nacional y que como tal es enseñada (con fines educativos) en las escuelas del país, existen muchas familias que son más apegadas a celebrar el “Día de todos los Santos” como lo hacen en otros países católicos. Además, cabe mencionar la fuerte influencia de los Estados Unidos que, al menos en zonas fronterizas, se evidencia con la presencia de la fiesta conocida como Halloween, la cual se celebra cada año con más frecuencia y en un mayor número de hogares. De ahí también que exista una inquietud entre los propios mexicanos de querer preservar el Día de Muertos como parte de la cultura mexicana sobre otras celebraciones parecidas.
The Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead is a traditional Mexican and generally Mesoamerican celebration that honors the dead. It takes place on November 1 and 2 and is linked to the Catholic celebrations of Day of the Faithful and All Saints.
It is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and to a lesser extent in Central American countries, as well as in many communities in the United States, where there is a large Mexican population. In 2008, Unesco declared the festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of Mexico.
The passage from life to death is an emblematic moment that has caused admiration, fear and uncertainty to people throughout history. For many years, beliefs about death have been generated in various cultures that have managed to develop a whole series of rites and traditions to venerate, honor, scare and even make fun of her. Mexico is a country rich in culture and traditions; One of the main aspects that make up its identity as a nation is the conception of life, death and all the traditions and beliefs that revolve around them.
Festivities that are considered precursors of the Day of the Dead in Mexico are prior to the arrival of the Spanish. There is a record of celebrations in the Mexican, Mayan, Purépecha and Totonaca ethnic groups. The rituals that celebrate the life of the ancestors are performed in these civilizations since pre-Columbian times. The practice of preserving skulls as trophies and displaying them during rituals symbolizing death was common among pre-Hispanic peoples. However, the anthropologist Elsa Malvido has questioned the explanation of the pre-Hispanic origin of the Day of the Dead, highlighting the continuity of traditions that emerged in medieval Europe.
It should be noted that this celebration is not typical of all Mexicans since, despite being a holiday that has become a national symbol and that as such is taught (for educational purposes) in the country’s schools, there are many families that they are more attached to celebrating “All Saints’ Day” as they do in other Catholic countries. In addition, it is worth mentioning the strong influence of the United States that, at least in border areas, is evidenced by the presence of Halloween, which is celebrated every year more frequently and in a greater number of homes. Hence also there is a concern among Mexicans themselves of wanting to preserve the Day of the Dead as part of Mexican culture over other similar celebrations.
Street Art Entre Las Mareas Más Altas Del Mundo/Street Art Between the Highest Tides In the World
Artist Sean Yoro, better known as “Hula,” painted a 9 x 13 meter mural in New Brunswick, Canada.
Stradivarius: los violines mas caros del mundo/Stradivarius: the most expensive violins in the world
Considerados los mejores del mundo, los violines Stradivarius han sido hechos a mano por el maestro luthier –– persona que construye, ajusta o repara instrumentos de cuerda –– Antonio Stradivari. Nacido en Italia en 1644, su creador dedicó su vida a la elaboración y perfeccionamiento del violín –– un instrumento musical de cuerda de unos 60 cm de largo ––. Un artista que ha alcanzado admiración y reconocimiento desde su muerte hace más de 250 años.
Fabricación de violines únicos
Stradivari diseñó y fabricó más de mil violines e instrumentos durante su vida, casi 650 de los cuales aún existen en la actualidad. Estos instrumentos son considerados los mejores y son muy apreciados por su calidad de sonido única.
El primer violín conocido de Stradivarius se fabricó en 1666, cuando tenía tan solo 22 años. Algunos historiadores resaltan que Antonio fue aprendiz de Nicolo Amati, nieto del fabricante de violines Andrea Amati (1511-1577), quien le enseñó el oficio de la madera.
Durante el inicio de su carrera, Stradivari creó violines al clásico estilo Amati. Sin embargo, incluso utilizando técnicas tradicionales, su habilidad y talento fue impresionante. Por ejemplo, el violín Hellier producido por Stradivari en 1679 revela su inigualable habilidad para fabricar un instrumento musical.
En la década de 1680, Stradivari diseñó y creó violines de cuerpo completo con características únicas. Aunque continuó utilizando la estructura básica de los Amati, finalmente se liberó y comenzó a crear sus propios modelos. Sus dos hijos, Francesco y Omobono, se unieron al negocio familiar alrededor de 1698, pero ninguno mostró el mismo interés y talento que su padre. Junto con otros ayudantes, el taller de Stradivari pudo producir más instrumentos a medida que el maestro se sumergió profundamente en la experimentación.
Stradivari fabricó sus mejores instrumentos de cuerdas desde 1700 hasta 1725. Durante su época dorada, creó violines cuyas cajas de sonido no se pueden comparar. Además, introdujo cierto tipo de barniz rojo intenso y bordes y esquinas anchas. Un estudio publicado en la revista la Nature, reveló que la madera de arce utilizada por este artesano en el siglo XVIII pudo haber sufrido un proceso químico para la preservación y aumento de la calidad del sonido.
Algunos de sus violines más famosos creados durante su época dorada incluyen el Lipinski 1715 y el Mesías 1716. Nunca vendido ni regalado, el Mesías permaneció con su creador hasta su muerte.
Un sonido tan especial
En 2011, un grupo de científicos de la Universidad de Minnesota gracias al uso de un escáner de tomografía axial, les permitió medir la densidad de la madera, el tamaño y forma, además del grosor de cada elemento, y reveló que pequeñas grietas, agujeros hechos por gusanos y otros defectos le dan un sonido único.
La información obtenida permitió crear tres copias casi exactas de un violín original que se encuentra en la biblioteca del Congreso de Estados Unidos y que data de 1704.
Sin embargo, en 2018 un equipo de la Universidad de Taiwan anunció saber la razón de su autenticidad, según su investigación, su valor reside en que el sonido de los violines imitan aspectos de la voz humana. Para confirmarlo, los investigadores pidieron a varios músicos profesionales que tocaran quince violines fabricados por el italiano, para comparar su sonido con el de las voces de otros tantos cantantes humanos.
Lo que descubrieron fue que los violines producían formantes –– picos en la intensidad del espectro de un sonido –– y tonos armónicos que se correspondían con los de la voz humana.
Precios de otro mundo
El más caro de ellos es el conocido como Lady Blunt. Debe su nombre a Anne Blunt, nieta de lord Byron –– poeta del movimiento del romanticismo británico –– y propietaria de tan preciado objeto durante 30 años. En 2011 pertenecía a la Nippon Music Foundation hasta que fue subastado en la casa Tarisio. El evento generó una enorme expectación entre los amantes de la música. Finalmente, Lady Blunt alcanzó el precio más alto de un Stradivarius: 15. 9 millones de dólares.
El Mesías tiene un valor estimado 20 millones de dólares. Propietario actual: Museo Ashmolean de Oxford. Es considerado el único violín considerado en estado de conservación perfecta.
El Mesías, apodado Le Messie permaneció en el taller de Antonio Stradivari hasta su fallecimiento. Después su hijo Paolo lo vendió al Conde de Cozio de Salabue, el año 1775. Durante un tiempo llevó el nombre Salabue. En el año 1827 lo compró Luigi Tarisio. Tras la muerte de éste lo adquirió el laudero parisino Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, junto con toda la colección de Tarisio.
Stradivarius: the most expensive violins in the world
Considered the best in the world, Stradivarius violins have been handmade by the luthier master – person who builds, adjusts or repairs string instruments – Antonio Stradivari. Born in Italy in 1644, its creator dedicated his life to the development and improvement of the violin – a string musical instrument about 60 cm long -. An artist who has achieved admiration and recognition since his death more than 250 years ago.
Manufacture of unique violins
Stradivari designed and manufactured over a thousand violins and instruments during his lifetime, almost 650 of which still exist today. These instruments are considered the best and are highly appreciated for their unique sound quality.
The first known violin of Stradivarius was made in 1666, when he was only 22 years old. Some historians emphasize that Antonio was apprenticed to Nicolo Amati, grandson of the violin maker Andrea Amati (1511-1577), who taught him the trade of wood.
During the beginning of his career, Stradivari created violins in the classic Amati style. However, even using traditional techniques, his skill and talent was impressive. For example, the Hellier violin produced by Stradivari in 1679 reveals his unparalleled ability to make a musical instrument.
In the 1680s, Stradivari designed and created full-bodied violins with unique characteristics. Although he continued to use the basic structure of the Amati, he finally freed himself and started creating his own models. His two sons, Francesco and Omobono, joined the family business around 1698, but none showed the same interest and talent as his father. Together with other assistants, the Stradivari workshop was able to produce more instruments as the teacher immersed himself deeply in experimentation.
Stradivari made his best string instruments from 1700 to 1725. During his golden age, he created violins whose sound boxes can not be compared. In addition, it introduced a certain type of intense red varnish and wide edges and corners. A study published in the journal Nature, revealed that the maple wood used by this artisan in the eighteenth century may have undergone a chemical process for the preservation and increase of sound quality.
Some of his most famous violins created during his golden age include the Lipinski 1715 and the Messiah 1716. Never sold or given away, the Messiah remained with his creator until his death.
Such a special sound
In 2011, a group of scientists from the University of Minnesota, using an axial tomography scanner, allowed them to measure the density of the wood, the size and shape, as well as the thickness of each element, and revealed that small cracks, holes Made by worms and other defects give it a unique sound.
The information obtained allowed to create three almost exact copies of an original violin that is in the library of the United States Congress and that dates from 1704.
However, in 2018 a team from the University of Taiwan announced to know the reason for its authenticity, according to his research, its value lies in the fact that the sound of the violins imitate aspects of the human voice. To confirm this, the researchers asked several professional musicians to play fifteen violins made by the Italian, to compare their sound with that of the voices of many other human singers.
What they discovered was that the violins produced formantes – peaks in the intensity of the spectrum of a sound – and harmonic tones that corresponded to those of the human voice.
Otherworldly prices
The most expensive of them is the one known as Lady Blunt. It owes its name to Anne Blunt, granddaughter of Lord Byron – poet of the British romantic movement – and owner of such a precious object for 30 years. In 2011 he belonged to the Nippon Music Foundation until it was auctioned at the Tarisio house. The event generated an enormous expectation among music lovers. Finally, Lady Blunt reached the highest price of a Stradivarius: 15. 9 million dollars.
The Messiah has an estimated value of 20 million dollars. Current owner: Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. It is considered the only violin considered in a perfect state of preservation.
The Messiah, nicknamed Le Messie remained in Antonio Stradivari’s studio until his death. After his son Paolo sold it to the Count of Cozio de Salabue, in 1775. For a time he carried the name Salabue. In the year 1827 Luigi Tarisio bought it. After the death of this one it acquired the parishian Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, along with all the collection of Tarisio.
