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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Commonly mispronounced words 54 - Gangubai Hangal

The mispronunciation of this name has been institutionalised everywhere except in Karnataka. Hangal is a place near Haveri in Karnataka. Gangubai Hangal and most Kannadigas from that part are to be pronounced as harn (as in barn)-gull. A famous character actor in Hindi films of Kashmiri origin is also called Hangal. His name is generally pronounced as Hung-gull. His surname comes from the Kashmiri word for stag which is hangul. Interestingly that is pronounced as harn-ghoul. But the surname is pronounced as hung-gull. 

Now we go to the south of India. The name of this place in Karnataka and hence the surname of Gangubai is pronounced as harn-gull. But everyone insists on pronouncing her name as hung-gull. Films Division made an almost two hour documentary on her, but refused to get the name right. 

Only Kannada channels pronounce it correctly. 

(using respelling) harn-gull 
(using the pronunciation key) haanagal 
(Devanagari) हानगल 

If you can read Kannada, in Kannada it is written as ಹಾನಗಲ್.

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