In a light-hearted moment captured on video, South African cricket players found themselves in difficult position when attempting to pronounce the name of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. The video, posted by the official handle of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, went viral on social media, drawing attention to the linguistic challenges faced by foreigners when encountering unfamiliar names.
Sashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP, was quick to highlight the video, emphasizing the difficulty foreigners often face in pronouncing the name of his constituency.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor said, “South African have arrived in Thiruvananthapuram ! But can they tell anyone where they are?”
Pertinently, Tharoor himself has been known to advocate for a simpler name for the city, suggesting that it should have been named Ananthapuri instead. According to him, such a change would have made it easier for non-native speakers to navigate the complexities of the city’s name.
Meanwhile, the video showcased a range of reactions from the South African players. While some, like David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, and Temba Bavuma, stumbled over the pronunciation, others, like Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi, managed to get it right. The lighthearted moment brought a touch of humor to the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, where South Africa will be playing warm-up matches in Thiruvananthapuram.
Also, since posted the video has been a huge hit among the netizens. While, some engaged in a discussion about the challenges faced by both foreigners and non-native speakers in pronouncing Indian city names. Some users suggested that people in India who aren’t from Kerala should try pronouncing the name first before criticizing foreigners.
“Tiru-Anantha-Puram”- the city of Lord Anantha
Thiruvananthapuram, which derives its name from “Tiru-Anantha-Puram,” meaning the city of Lord Anantha, has a rich historical background. During the colonial era, the city was referred to by different names, including Tiruaanandapuram, Syanandapuram, Sanandapuram, and Trivandrum. The city has been at the intersection of various cultural influences and has witnessed the ebb and flow of different empires.
