retronym and hyperforeignism in the news

[Laurence Horn]

or actually on the news.

Our local weatherman announced that the precipitation would be
shifting to "liquid rain", so it's spreading (the retronym, not
necessarily the weather).  And then Charlie Gibson on ABC's World
News Tonight persisted in referring to Venezuela's Chavez as ['Sa
vEz].  Maybe since he opposes our national interests, we have to
pronounce his name as if he were French.  (At least he didn't turn
into [Sa 've].)

LH

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