Ever wonder how to spell Cesar Azpilicueta's name? Ever get stuck into the Azpilicueta/Athpilicueta pronunciation debate? Well, I have good news for you. The Chelsea fullback has decided to settle the matter once and for all with this instructional video.
Anyway, for those of you who can't watch, Cesar has decreed that his name be pronounced "ATH-PILLY-KWTA", which he deems 'really easy' despite there being a sequence of six straight consonants in there. Perhaps England's commentators will watch it over the course of their meticulous research into the teams they're covering. Hah, I'm funny.
This video got me wondering about the origins of the 'z' sound in Castilian Spanish, so if you're also curious about where the lisp-like sound comes from, check out the phonological history of Spanish coronal fricatives on Wikipedia. You're welcome.
PS: I kind of wish everyone had just said 'Dave' at the end, but we can't always get what we want.
