Your Letters
14:21 UK time, Friday, 16 November 2012
Re this. Even looking at the downloaded ´óÏó´«Ã½ user guide to pronunciation I would still be none the wiser how to pronounce "KUH" and "DUH".
Derek Laxton, Cambridge
You write that the Chinese pinyin "xi" is always pronounced like the English "she", and that "qiang" and "qi" are pronounced "chee-aang" and and "chee". That is true in someparts of China but, with respect, the standard pronunciations are xi = see, quiang = tsiang and qi = tsee or tsuh depending on the tone and meaning.
Stuart Lyons, London, England
Is Basil Long on holiday this week?
Allan J, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I say, I say, I say! Why is it called the standing committee? (Last photo.) Because they don't have any chairs!
David Richerby, Liverpool, UK
F, Rob, and Ed (Wednesday's letters) - But surely we should also explain the mathematical "story" behind the number: There was a girl aged 13, she had boob size 84, she wanted boob size 45. She went to the doctor who said 0 (oh!). Take these pills 2 x a day, but she took them 4 x a day and ended up... 13844502 x 4 = 55378008.
JoeA, Middlesex
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