I’ve written extensively about ITA Airways, Italy’s new(ish) nationwide airline (actually simply Alitalia with a distinct identify). Anyway, whereas I’ve written out the identify “ITA Airways” a numerous variety of occasions, that doesn’t require really saying it. So think about my shock after I simply discovered that I’ve been saying it fallacious all alongside…
How do you pronounce ITA Airways?
The “ITA” in ITA Airways stands for Italia Trasporto Aereo. So when saying the identify of the airline out loud, I’ve all the time stated “I-T-A Airways.”
Admittedly completely different organizations take completely different approaches with that. For instance, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is pronounced “F-A-A,” and never “faaaah,” whereas NASA (Nationwide Aeronautics and House Administration) is pronounced “nah-sah,” and never “N-A-S-A.”
Properly, I’m off on my ITA Airways journey, and after I pronounced the service’s identify at check-in as “I-T-A,” the check-in agent corrected me and stated it’s “ee-tah.” I questioned if she was really proper (she was a contract employee), however certainly, that’s how each single ITA worker has referred to the airline.
For some motive, it by no means even crossed my thoughts that it will be pronounced that method. On some stage it is sensible, because it’s a world airline, and it will be pronounced very in a different way in the event you’re simply spelling out the letters in several languages, fairly than making a sound like “ee-tah.”
How do you pronounce EVA Air?
Whereas we’re on this subject, right here’s one other enjoyable one. Taiwan-based Star Alliance member EVA Air is one other airline that many individuals pronounce incorrectly. Again within the day I mispronounced the identify of the airline, however I discovered years in the past how the airline refers to itself.
How do you pronounce EVA Air? Do you say “E-V-A Air,” or “ee-vah Air?” Whereas I believe “ee-vah Air” sounds good (not like ee-tah Airways), that’s not the way it’s pronounced. Slightly EVA Air takes the alternative strategy, and the proper pronunciation is in reality “E-V-A Air.”
Backside line
It’s fascinating how completely different airways need their names pronounced. Italy’s ITA Airways is pronounced by sounding out the letters, and is “ee-tah Airways.” In the meantime Taiwan’s EVA Air is pronounced by simply saying the person letters, so it’s “E-V-A Air.”
Satirically my mind nonetheless naturally needs to pronounce the Italian airline as “I-T-A” and the Taiwanese airline as “ee-vah,” however I’d be fallacious on each fronts.
I’m curious — am I within the minority in having thought that the airline is pronounced “I-T-A” fairly than “ee-tah?” What about EVA Air? Fess up OMAAT neighborhood, and be trustworthy about the way you’ve been saying these airways. 😉
