funny names on Radio

[Caireann]

I always hear a lot of strange sounding news reader names on BBC radio

Names like:

Pooknee Gadusi
Vietzka Bjuerma
Giorgiani


I would find it interesting if someone would clarify those names people sometimes have.

Are they nicks or just some real weird names?

[uiwangmike]

Here's one of them:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/insti ... rney.shtml

[Caireann]

Thanks for the link.
a while back BBC advertised on Radio that there is now a presenters list.
Well, there was one accessible through the left hand menu, but it was incomplete and after a few month it disappeared again including the entire menu column. Now I dont know where to find the presenters list any more.

[Chris P]

A quick search for 'presenters' on the WS site yields this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/

although I dare say it's incomplete too

[uiwangmike]

although I dare say it's incomplete too

Yes, just look under "G" for a start. And Mary Ann Kennedy's there, but not the equally splendid Lopa Kothari.

[Chris P]

although I dare say it's incomplete too

Yes, just look under "G" for a start. And Mary Ann Kennedy's there, but not the equally splendid Lopa Kothari.

That's cos I posted (incomplete) BBC presenters instead of (incomplete) BBC World Service presenters, presumably what Caireann used to be able to click on from homepage, see here :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specialreports/presenters.shtml

Charlie Gillett
Loves choosing what music to play next

[Caireann]

Thanks Chris,
seems you know how to search.
When I searched for Presenters then I found a huge list of links, everything BUT the presenters list.
The most disturbing to me is:
One day its there, and the next day its not.
One day you stumble over it everywhere, the next day you search and search and it is nowhere to be found, at least not as a link to the page.

uiwangmike, yes, some names are missing. Does the BBC not have a complete list of their own presenters?
But there is Alan Johnston (missing on biographies) with his hoarsely whispering voice. I think he got his job on "From our own correspondent" out of pity and not because he is good. Out of pity because he spent a lot of time kidnapped by terrorists in the Gaza strip.

[Caireann]

I always hear a lot of strange sounding news reader names on BBC radio

Names like:

Pooknee Gadusi
Vietzka Bjuerma
Giorgiani


I would find it interesting if someone would clarify those names people sometimes have.

Are they nicks or just some real weird names?

Forgot one. I was reminded of it when listening to the news yesterday.

Gaynaught Howelnms.
She pronounces her name so funny, you cant really hear if its Howels, Howens or Howems.

[uiwangmike]

Gaynor Howells

[Caireann]

Gaynor Howells

Oh, is that how it is spelled?
Its difficult to hear that from how that lady pronounces it.
Where does the name Gaynor come from?

[uiwangmike]

Wales - the spelling is anglicised. The original would be Geinor Hywels.

[Hugh Weldon]

As a kid I thought Alvar Lidell was the strangest name I'd ever heard.

[uiwangmike]

I heard him once talking about being introduced in America as Al Barley Dell. I think Alvar is Swedish.

[Caireann]

Wales - the spelling is anglicised. The original would be Geinor Hywels.

That explains it.

Last week I watched a documentary about GB, it is called "Little Britain", or was it that history documentary "Black Adder?.
There one said, when in Wales never ask for directions or you have to wipe spit off your face for a week.

Maybe thats why she cant even pronounce her own name.

Alvar Lidell: didnt he die in 1981?

[jackdaw version]

. . . a documentary about GB, it is called "Little Britain" . . .

Not a documentary. It's a dramatization.