Following up on my pronunciation post, I’d like to share what was perhaps my most frustrated encounter with terminology pronunciation.  A rising kick that rhymes with squeegee. You know, those cleaning wands with a wiper blade that fuel station attendants use to wash your windshield (if you still can find an old-fashioned station). For those unfamiliar with this tool, the …

It has been a bit of a hobby of mine to try to pronounce Japanese karate terminology correctly. Ironically, the word “karate” often reads “kah RAH tee” in my head. Once one has even the most basic understanding of Japanese pronunciation, this will grate terribly on one’s nerves.  There’s so much wrong with that pronunciation that it could be a …