What do James and the Giant Peach, The Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory all have in common?
THEY’RE ALL A LIE.
Okay, slight exaggeration, but I’ve just learned I’ve been pronouncing the author of these books – and many other childhood classics – all wrong and I’m having trouble coping.
If you, like me, thought Roald Dahl was pronounced a bit like “rolled” you couldn’t be any more wrong if you tried.
Apparently, it’s pronounced ‘Roo-all’.
Don’t believe me?
Watch the clip above, which shows the author being introduced at the very beginning of an episode of his early 1960s sci-fi TV show Way Out.
The author clearly introduced the author as ‘Roo-all’ and our MINDS ARE BLOWN.
Roald is also a Norwegian name, so it shouldn’t really be THAT MUCH of a surprise that it has a Norwegian pronunciation.
That doesn’t mean I’m not totally confused by this news.
To recover from this shocking new development, I may just hide out in a cave re-reading all of my favourite Roald Dahl books.
George’s Marvelous Medicine, anyone?