03 Nov Rhymes with ‘understand,’ Chuckie – updated

As the final chord of “Paint it Black,” opening number in the Rolling Stones’ 2006 Halifax Commons concert, faded into the distance, Mick Jagger thanked the crowd for coming out despite foul weather.

“We hear there’s even a group that came all the way from Newfoundland,” he said. The remarkable thing is that Jagger, the consummate professional, took the trouble to pronounce the name of Canada’s 10th province correctly.

So after 60 years as heir to the throne, is it too much to ask the presumed future King of Canada to show the same care and respect?

[Update] Contrarian readers have leapt to His Royal Highness’s defense. First, CC:

Maybe he’s doing it in quiet protest against the constant mangling by Canadian tourists of such place names as Berkshire, Edinburgh and Leicester Square.

Sure he is. Next, John DeMings:

I doubt most Canadians pronounce Newfoundland properly, and I know schools must have given up trying to explain that Saint John isn’t St.John’s. Leave Chuckie alone. At least he went there.