It seems that Americans have a problem pronouncing Serbian name Rod Blagojevich and it’s pretty unfortunate since we will be hearing and possibly saying it a lot in coming months. The problem with foreign names is that they are usually transliterated by a clerk who fills out your passport. For example, in the name Blagojevich “j” is not pronounced and it would probably sound similar without it, but someone maybe at Ellis Island thought that they have to put a “j” in there to make an “e” sound harder. Many immigrants throw out extra letters to make life a little easier for themselves and their families. When they don’t,you get every news reader in the country stutter every time they try to say the name.
As always Stephen Hawking is there to teach you how to say it right.
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In the next clip a female voice pronounces “Blagojevich” without the “J”.
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I think it sounds better that way.
We can’t even get run of the mill stuff like Dmitri or Vladimir correct. I kinda wish they’d just refer to him as “Rappin Roddy B”
I’m from Illinois and the way I pronounce it probably can’t be posted here.