Students in Sheridan College's Video Production Club learn to run video cameras and produce live TV shows--but that's not all--they also have frequent discussions on etymology. Sheridan Media's Betsy Love has the story
When you think about a college film club, "platform for debating word origins" is probably not your first association:
That's Pavlina--we will get to her last name in a moment--a Sheridan College student from the Czech Republic.
Pavlina is co-host on one of the club's bi-monthly TV shows, Snap!, Snap! is a kind of mongrel, info-comedy-variety show that highlights campus events and news. This week, she reviewed the movie Clash of The Titans, inadvertently spurring a Clash of The Dictions--another battle we will return to, after hearing why Pavlina joined the club:
The other Snap! host is Nate Lawson, who is also currently president of the video production club. Although Nate is a professional photographer, he says he has picked up a thing-or-two since joining the club last year:
Now lets return to the latest linguistic lesson sparked by Snap!: the Zeus-Zouse controversy. To most of you currently listening, the answer may seem simple--unless you're talking about a "Synonym for home" or "type of rodent" and not "the most powerful ancient Greek god," it is "Zeus"--right?
Checking the web for other pronunciations, it seems Pavlina might have a point. Here is what one site gives as samples of the French, Spanish and German pronunciations:
However, the Greeks have a slightly different way of pronouncing the god that they named:
Oh and and one last thing. In case you are wondering, Pavlina does have a last name, though not quite as easy to pronounce as "Zouse" or "Zefts":
Snap! can be viewed on Sheridan College Public TV, Channel 15 on Wednesdays.
CORRECTION: Sheridan College Public TV is located on Channel 14.
