Getting names right
As someone who is blessed with a ‘‘foreign’’ name, it concerns me that Josie Bullock (Letters, July 2) would not pronounce it correctly because, as she puts it, she would have to use a foreign accent to do so.
My name has four syllables, something like ‘‘Ann-a-li-sa’’. But when ‘‘adapted to the English tongue’’, it is often corrupted to ‘‘Ann-leez’’ or something similar. Most people are happy to pronounce my name correctly when it is pointed out to them.
MP claims wage subsidy (July 1) made interesting reading. The National Party claims to be able better able to manage the economy and will be campaigning heavily on that theme. Yet one of its own MPs, who is apparently a very wealthy man, had no qualms about claiming the wage subsidy during the lockdown for his vineyard business, which he owns outright. It seems corporate socialism is very acceptable to the Right-leaning, socialist-hating National Party.
Margaret McKay, Petone
That Apec 2021 will be held remotely is wonderful news for the Earth’s atmosphere, climate and all forms of life. The thousands of delegates who were to fly to Auckland now won’t travel on aircraft pouring greenhouse gases into the global atmosphere. Let Apec 2021 be the start of international conferences being held remotely.
J Chris Horne, Northland
When I was a radio announcer in the 1960s, all broadcasters had to undergo a course in Ma¯ ori place names. This was welcomed by most but one destination that proved difficult for some to get used to was the gentle ‘‘Para-paraumu’’ replacing the harsh ‘‘Parrapa -ram’’.
Robyn Duncan Cox, Taupo¯
With New Zealand hotels filling up with quarantined air passengers, why doesn’t the Government hire a couple of cruise ships that are currently laid up around the world and moor one off Auckland and one off Lyttelton? Together, two cruise ships could accommodate 5000 to 6000. New arrivals could be taken by bus from Auckland and Christchurch airports and quarantined on a cruise ship for the required 14 days. Remember, the word quarantine originated in 14thcentury Venice when ships were required to anchor offshore for 40 days during the Black Death.
Neil Douglas, Wellington