After the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 news readers have been dreading another volcano in Iceland. Relief as the latest is not so bad.
As the major disruption to air travel became an important news item in 2010 those tasked with reading the news on television and radio were traumatised by the need to say Eyjafjallajökull. The BBC supplied guidance, but few could master the pronunciation.
AY-uh-fyat-luh-YOE-kuutl (-uh) , that is -ay as in day, -fy as in few, -oe as in French coeur, -uu as in boot, the -tl as in atlas. The (-uh) is “a” as in ago.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/2010/04/how_to_say_eyjafjallajoekull.shtml
News readers who could pronounce it were able to command bonus pay and would swap shifts with traumatised colleagues for a price. The prospect of another Icelandic volcano with an unpronounceable name has haunted news readers over the ensuing 15 years.
As news started to come in of a volcano causing concern many news readers were ready to resign. A collective sigh of relief ran round newsrooms when the name Sundhnukur was revealed.
Test
Without scrolling up pronounce Eyjafjallajökull. You can check your pronunciation below…