The author was born in a Lao refugee camp in Thailand. She was raised and educated in Toronto, Canada. Now a prize winning author, this collection rings true, no doubt, from her experiences. The title story - a young girl brings home a book and has her father help her with pronouncing "knife". Alas, it's a tricky word, and back at school, the language exposes her to ridicule.
In other stories, a failed boxer works in his sister's nail salon, a young woman navigates working at a chicken processing plant, and in other stories you've got youth versus parents - all trying to figure out life, work, and keeping your self while assimilating.
I enjoyed How to Pronounce Knife - the stories were interesting, entertaining, well written, and thought provoking.
...and seriously....the silent K....why?
Hi Joanne - sounds an interesting read ... one I must note. The pronounciations ... can be found in that dreaded google, or in Wiki ... 'Silent k and g'
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_k_and_g I guess more posts could follow?! Not from me probably ...
Happy week - Hilary
it's tricky especially from a new immigrant trying to learn a new language.
DeleteIt's a good book of stories
I should have added: Up until the 17th century we observed this practice and actually pronounced “knee,” for instance, as “k'nee” and “knife” as “k'nife.” But sometime in the 1500s we started dropping that “k” sound, probably because folks simply found that “kn” sound a bit clumsy to pronounce.
ReplyDeleteah- see I knew you'd add more. Or should I say k'new.
DeleteWhat a great title. And thanks, Hilary - I always wondered about the 'k'!
ReplyDeleteHilary does her research!
DeleteThe whole duplication of C and K, and silent K, and C as S sometimes, is utterly baffling to a non-native speaker! :) :)
ReplyDeleteit's confusing to a kid who's a native speaker too.
DeleteThe English language has more than it's share of words with crazy spelling! Sounds like an interesting collection of stories.
ReplyDeleteIt's a short quick read, but very compelling
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