pronunciation of Belize

[Dale Coye]

In a message dated 03/14/2001 5:53:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,
RonButters at AOL.COM writes:


> The Spanish pronunciation is "Bay-lee-say"; the English pronunciantion is
> "Bay-leeze." This stems from the "war" between Guatemala and England that
> has
> been going on for 25 years about whether the country is "Belise" or
> "Belize."
>
> You could have found this information in a standard Encyclopedia.
>
What I was trying to convey was that the natives of Belize in the Toledo
district, who often speak two Indian languages as well as English and a
smattering of Creole, pronounce their country /b@ 'lis/.   The "English
pronunciation' cited by the encyclopedia is not used by them, and in fact an
object of derision.

Dale Coye
The College of NJ

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