There’s A Reason It’s Pronounced “Maudlin…”

 

Telegraph breaking news: Queen becomes latest victim of cancel culture as portrait is removed from Oxford college.

The Queen has become the latest victim of cancel culture after students at an Oxford College voted to remove her portrait.

The Queen’s likeness hung in the middle common room (MCR) of Magdalen College, which has a long association with members of the Royal family.

MCR president Matthew Katzman told The Telegraph: “It has been taken down. It was decided [emphasis mine, and note: typical passive-(voice)-aggressive] to leave the common room neutral. That was what this was about.”

“The college will have plenty of depictions of various things, but the common room is meant to be a space for all to feel welcome.”  [LOL. Unless you’re a fan of the Queen, apparently.]

The vote was called in the interest of domestic and international students who might object to the imagery.

Several of my relatives are British taxpayers who contribute to the foolishness that embodies 21st-century Oxford University.  Where do they go to get their money*  back?

Magdalen has indicated it will not intervene to reverse the decision, despite the long association between the British taxpayer royalty and the college, which the Queen herself visited in 1948 to receive an Honorary Degree from Oxford University, and again in 2008 to mark its 550th anniversary.

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, said: “The sad thing is that you would think that the people of Magdalen College Oxford are reasonably bright, and this decision would suggest that they are not.

Of course, they’re not.  As Mr. She was fond of saying, “they’re students.  They don’t know very much, and they’re here to learn.  It’s our job to educate them, not to celebrate the immature and childish ideas they brought with them.”

Crimenutely.

How maudlin.  Not to say, moronic.  Or, even, dare I say,  idiotic.

*Millions and billions of British pounds.  At what point should those taxpayers expect a grateful note of appreciation from those whose paths, from all parts of the world, they’ve greased in the furtherance of an academic degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world?  (Pro Tip:  British taxpayers; don’t hold your breath.)

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  1. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB

    In Kentucky, they pronounce Versailles as “Ver-sails.  They also pronounce Pennyroyal as Pennyrile.

     

    In Georgia, the town of Houston is pronounced “House-ton” and an Atlanta road is “House-ton Mill Rd.” Cairo is pronounced “Kay-ro.”  Others, too, but I can’t bring them to mind.

    • #31
  2. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Oh, I know. I bet Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin.”

    Never mind.

    Is that really how it’s pronounced? It’s not “Mag-duh-lin”?

    That’s right up there with Woolfardisworthy.

    Also St. John (sinjin) and Taliferro (Tolliver).

    • #32
  3. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    She (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Wait, that doesn’t make sense. Maudlin?

    From the college website:

    People are regularly surprised at why Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin”. This charter offers a reason why. Waynflete decreed that his College should be known as “Collegium beatae Mariae Magdalenae” in Latin and “Maudelayne College” in English. In the 15th century, English speakers called St. Mary Magdalene “St. Mary Maudelayne” (or “Mawdelayne”), without the “g” – like “Madeleine” in French. It was only later that we put the “g” back. Magdalen College, however, like Magdalene College, Cambridge, has preserved the old pronunciation of her name.

     

    Heh if the students are getting rid of things how about the name of the College and this incredibly old pronunciation (which was stolen from the Church). How about just getting rid of the college which is existentially unfair to those who don’t have/can’t get degrees. Or getting rid of England. Or ….. 

    • #33
  4. She Member
    She
    @She

    Caryn (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Zafar (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Wait, that doesn’t make sense. Maudlin?

    From the college website:

    People are regularly surprised at why Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin”. This charter offers a reason why. Waynflete decreed that his College should be known as “Collegium beatae Mariae Magdalenae” in Latin and “Maudelayne College” in English. In the 15th century, English speakers called St. Mary Magdalene “St. Mary Maudelayne” (or “Mawdelayne”), without the “g” – like “Madeleine” in French. It was only later that we put the “g” back. Magdalen College, however, like Magdalene College, Cambridge, has preserved the old pronunciation of her name.

    Perhaps, ma’am, you could explain Southwark and High Holburn?

    Unlikely. I couldn’t really explain “maudlin” either, till I looked it up…

    One either absorbs such things by osmosis, or one doesn’t. Trying to find the way, or the rules, is an exercise in frustration, and one should never make assumptions. (See Leicester vs. Cirencester. Or the fact that people from Manchester are called Mancunians, whereas people from Lancaster are called Lancastrians.) Most of the time, I think that if there’s any logic anywhere in the story, it lies in the history of English and its roots in so many other languages.

    It is a good, and quick, means of identifying Outlanders, though.

    Just as, around here, anyone who doesn’t pronounce the local towns of Versailles, Charleroi and Dubois, as “Ver-sails,” “Sharle-roy” and “Du-boys,” immediately marks himself as Not One Of Us.

    Are you in Pennsylvania?

    Yes.  South and West of Pittsburgh. 

     

    • #34
  5. She Member
    She
    @She

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Heh if the students are getting rid of things how about the name of the College and this incredibly old pronunciation (which was stolen from the Church). How about just getting rid of the college which is existentially unfair to those who don’t have/can’t get degrees. Or getting rid of England. Or …..

     

    • #35
  6. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    She (View Comment):

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Heh if the students are getting rid of things how about the name of the College and this incredibly old pronunciation (which was stolen from the Church). How about just getting rid of the college which is existentially unfair to those who don’t have/can’t get degrees. Or getting rid of England. Or …..

     

    To better days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AS-dCdYZbo

     

    • #36
  7. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    But in what I consider some good news, the university administration took a pretty hard line, according to reporting from Daily Wire:

    The move drew swift and serious condemnation from members of the British government and from the Oxford University administration.

    “Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling it ‘absurd’, and Oxford University’s Chancellor Lord Patten condemning the students for being ‘offensive and obnoxiously ignorant,’” the Daily Mail noted.

    Apparently the college is attended mostly by students from outside the United Kingdom. Of course it was an American idiot who got the ball rolling. If the students are so “triggered” by a symbol of British structure, why the heck did they choose to go to the U.K. in the first place? Anyone who goes to the U.K. should expect to see pictures of the queen and other trappings of British history and culture. If you’re not a resident subject of the United Kingdom, and you are bothered by the trappings of British history and culture . . .  don’t go to the United Kingdom

    • #37
  8. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    She (View Comment):

    Zafar (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Wait, that doesn’t make sense. Maudlin?

    From the college website:

    People are regularly surprised at why Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin”. This charter offers a reason why. Waynflete decreed that his College should be known as “Collegium beatae Mariae Magdalenae” in Latin and “Maudelayne College” in English. In the 15th century, English speakers called St. Mary Magdalene “St. Mary Maudelayne” (or “Mawdelayne”), without the “g” – like “Madeleine” in French. It was only later that we put the “g” back. Magdalen College, however, like Magdalene College, Cambridge, has preserved the old pronunciation of her name.

    Perhaps, ma’am, you could explain Southwark and High Holburn?

    Unlikely. I couldn’t really explain “maudlin” either, till I looked it up…

    One either absorbs such things by osmosis, or one doesn’t. Trying to find the way, or the rules, is an exercise in frustration, and one should never make assumptions. (See Leicester vs. Cirencester. Or the fact that people from Manchester are called Mancunians, whereas people from Lancaster are called Lancastrians.) Most of the time, I think that if there’s any logic anywhere in the story, it lies in the history of English and its roots in so many other languages.

    It is a good, and quick, means of identifying Outlanders, though.

    Just as, around here, anyone who doesn’t pronounce the local towns of Versailles, Charleroi and Dubois, as “Ver-sails,” “Sharle-roy” and “Du-boys,” immediately marks himself as Not One Of Us.

    In New York, I was only a little disheartened that Monticello was pronounced Monti-sello, but confused that Delhi was pronounced Del-high.

    • #38
  9. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Oh, I know. I bet Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin.”

    Never mind.

    Is that really how it’s pronounced? It’s not “Mag-duh-lin”?

    That’s right up there with Woolfardisworthy.

    Also St. John (sinjin) and Taliferro (Tolliver).

    Here St. Nicolas is pronounced three ways, the most common is Sinniklus.

    • #39
  10. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    But in what I consider some good news, the university administration took a pretty hard line, according to reporting from Daily Wire:

    The move drew swift and serious condemnation from members of the British government and from the Oxford University administration.

    “Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling it ‘absurd’, and Oxford University’s Chancellor Lord Patten condemning the students for being ‘offensive and obnoxiously ignorant,’” the Daily Mail noted.

    Apparently the college is attended mostly by students from outside the United Kingdom. Of course it was an American idiot who got the ball rolling. If the students are so “triggered” by a symbol of British structure, why the heck did they choose to go to the U.K. in the first place? Anyone who goes to the U.K. should expect to see pictures of the queen and other trappings of British history and culture. If you’re not a resident subject of the United Kingdom, and you are bothered by the trappings of British history and culture . . . don’t go to the United Kingdom.

    This reminds me so much of my student days in London with other American students. They would constantly complain about how things weren’t like in the States. To me it was really irksome and I quit sticking around with most of them. Yeah, things were different. So what? Get over it and enjoy what was unique. The reason those students are there is because of the pomp, circumstance and the unique opportunity they are afforded. They just eliminated some of that to their detriment.

    • #40
  11. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Oh, I know. I bet Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin.”

    Never mind.

    Is that really how it’s pronounced? It’s not “Mag-duh-lin”?

    That’s right up there with Woolfardisworthy.

    Also St. John (sinjin) and Taliferro (Tolliver).

    • #41
  12. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    colleenb (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Oh, I know. I bet Magdalen College is pronounced “Maudlin.”

    Never mind.

    Is that really how it’s pronounced? It’s not “Mag-duh-lin”?

    That’s right up there with Woolfardisworthy.

    Also St. John (sinjin) and Taliferro (Tolliver).

    It took me a while to get used to Sinjin when I listened to Jane Eyre.

    • #42
  13. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    If I recall correctly, Oxford, along with Cambridge, were prized hunting grounds for KGB spy recruiters during the cold war. It was recently reported that there are now Chinese recruits in the UK university system. There must be something in the air on those campuses. It makes me wonder if US academia isn’t involved in the same skullduggery at our own “posh” universities.

    • #43
  14. She Member
    She
    @She

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    If I recall correctly, Oxford, along with Cambridge, were prized hunting grounds for KGB spy recruiters during the cold war. It was recently reported that there are now Chinese recruits in the UK university system. There must be something in the air on those campuses. It makes me wonder if US academia isn’t involved in the same skullduggery at our own “posh” universities.

    Yes!    Five spies from Cambridge: Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross.  I don’t think that (at the time) the KGB was as successful at Oxford.

    And I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right about efforts to recruit within the US.  Certainly, the field is ripe for the pickings..

     

    • #44
  15. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    She (View Comment):

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    If I recall correctly, Oxford, along with Cambridge, were prized hunting grounds for KGB spy recruiters during the cold war. It was recently reported that there are now Chinese recruits in the UK university system. There must be something in the air on those campuses. It makes me wonder if US academia isn’t involved in the same skullduggery at our own “posh” universities.

    Yes! Five spies from Cambridge: Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross. I don’t think that (at the time) the KGB was as successful at Oxford.

    And I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right about efforts to recruit within the US. Certainly, the field is ripe for the pickings..

    Yes, the “Cambridge Five” were the traitorous gold standard, and, as you note, there was less success at Oxford but the attempts were there.  There is a lot of controversy around the well-connected Bernard Floud, who was later elected to Parliament and who has a rather interesting story culminating in suicide.

    • #45
  16. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):
    It makes me wonder if US academia isn’t involved in the same skullduggery at our own “posh” universities.

    I don’t think you need to wonder.

    • #46
  17. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB

    She (View Comment):

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    If I recall correctly, Oxford, along with Cambridge, were prized hunting grounds for KGB spy recruiters during the cold war. It was recently reported that there are now Chinese recruits in the UK university system. There must be something in the air on those campuses. It makes me wonder if US academia isn’t involved in the same skullduggery at our own “posh” universities.

    Yes! Five spies from Cambridge: Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross. I don’t think that (at the time) the KGB was as successful at Oxford.

    And I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right about efforts to recruit within the US. Certainly, the field is ripe for the pickings..

     

    Oxford produces Prime Ministers. Cambridge produces gay Soviet spies.

    • #47
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