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Pronunciation error costs Spanish couple over $5,000
Whack me but I found this funny more than anything else: A Spanish couple traveling in Norway wanted to go to Olden to catch a cruise they had left to sort out some health issues. Traveling by taxi, due to a mispronunciation of their destination, the taxi driver took them to Halden instead, which is 560km away. Their fare came to 15,000 Kroners ($2765). Still oblivious to the mistake, they tipped the driver 1000 Kroners ($184!) and spent the night in a hotel, only to find that there was no cruise ship waiting for them -- that's when they realized that they were in the wrong city. They jumped back into a taxi and and head towards Olden which was 610km away and the taxi ride cost them another 15,300 Kroners ($2,820).
So their pronunciation error cost them over 30,000 Kroners (over $5,300), the approximate cost of 2 round the world tickets.
Funny thing is, Spaniards don't pronounce "h"; so they would pronounce Halden as "Alden" -- which sounds more like Olden than Halden. When they try to pronounce the "h" it's very strong and sounds like a "khhhhh", so I'm not quite sure how they ended-up going to Halden. Perhaps the driver saw they were rich and decided to dupe them.
Filed under: Europe, Norway, Spain, Transportation, News
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Secret Asian Man Aug 15th 2008 3:07PM
So how do they pronounce "José´" or cajones?"
Jessica Aug 15th 2008 8:25PM
Did you notice when you typed "jose" it's a J & not an H? That's how they pronounce it. Their "J" is an "H" sound. Their "H" is silent. Get it?
Meeshers Aug 15th 2008 8:51PM
If Halden had been spelled Jalden then they would have pronounced it right I suppose
Secret Asian Man Aug 15th 2008 8:59PM
Oh. I was under the impression that the post author meant they couldn't pronounce the "h" sound at all not that they were applying Spanish pronunciation to Nordic texts.
In that case, that's very ignorant of them and they deserve it.
T L C Aug 16th 2008 5:16AM
They pronounce the "j" in Spanish as we do the "h" in English. However, the "h" in Spanish is a silent letter so it is never pronounced (unless in combination with "ch", which is just like ours).
Howard Aug 16th 2008 5:55PM
Got it Hessica.
Mschili Aug 15th 2008 9:24PM
Have you ever tried to pronounce anything in Swedish? Very difficult but possible after about 3 aquavits! But you can't reproduce the correct pronunciation the next day when sober. LOL
Cezanne Aug 16th 2008 4:18AM
Well, its Norwegian, technically, but the Norwegian and Swedish are very similar. At any rate, Norwegians are probably more accustomed to hearing British accents than Spanish ones, (many English teachers in Scandinavia are British) in which case the pronunciation of "Olden" with a Spanish accent would sound much more like the British pronunciation of "Halden" ('alden) than the Norwegian pronunciation of "Olden". I don't think the couple was duped, but I don't think any of the 3 people involved were terribly bright.
Mschili Aug 15th 2008 9:26PM
Oops I meant Norwegian, the same thing applies, fun people and difficult language!
Mschili Aug 15th 2008 9:27PM
Oops I meant to say Norwegian, fun people but difficult language.
Um...lets see Aug 16th 2008 5:30PM
that is so sad.
i feel bad for the family, thats a LOT of money.
Anita Aug 15th 2008 10:12PM
When in any foreign country, print where you want to go and have ready for the driver then there should not be confusion. Besure your hotel is printed also so you can get home.
MaryD Aug 16th 2008 8:34AM
Anita's is the most thoughtful and worthwhile comment on this board. I would add that clear, typed names and instructions in both English and the host country are a necessity if you want to get to a specific destination using public transportation. Happy travels!
Zoe Aug 15th 2008 10:21PM
How come the first time the went the wrong way it was 560km away, then when they were headed in the proper direction the city is now 610km away??
Nadine Aug 16th 2008 1:35AM
Because they started a X and needed to get to A but ended up at B. so they still had to get to A. the Taxi wasn't taking them to where they came from it took them to where they were supposed to go.
Marjorie Aug 15th 2008 10:43PM
I'm assuming that Holden is in the opposite direction of Halden from the point that they started. So I would only be able to guess that Holden is 70 km in the other direction from where they started, and that's why there's a difference in the distances.
Zoe Aug 15th 2008 11:51PM
Thanks that makes sense. I never was good at those train traveling west @... math problems! LOL!
Cezanne Aug 16th 2008 4:36AM
They went from point A to point B and from point B to point C, not from point A to point B and then back to point A.
Kim Aug 15th 2008 10:34PM
I notice the first few comments are about how they were mis-pronouncing "Halden" due to their Spanish accent. They weren't trying to say "Halden" at all, they were saying "Olden". My guess is the cab driver assumed they were just speaking with a Spanish accent and trying to say "Halden" when, in fact, they never were.
Nunya Aug 15th 2008 10:47PM
I bet the loss of $5300 over a mispronunciation in a language not your own wouldn't have been so funny if it had happened to the AUTHOR of this story.
People suck, taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune. If you wouldn't like something happening to yourself, chances are others wouldn't like it either.