Just how do you pronounce that name?
One of the major pieces of legislation being dealt with by state lawmakers during the 2008 session, which ends on May 16th, is an economic incentive package designed to lure Canadian airplane maker Bombardier Aerospace to an area near Kansas City International Airport.
It's known as the Bombardier bill. It started out as an $880-million package over 22 years ... and has been scaled down to a $240-million proposal over eight years.
For Capitol observers who can get beyond the fiscal details of this package ... one of the best shows in town has been the attempt by some lawmakers - on both the House and Senate sides - to pronounce the name of this Canadian company. On Thursday of this week ... Senator Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) - the sponsor of the bill - did some explaining to Senator Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City).
Now ... if only Charlie could explain to his colleagues and the rest of us why the British and the Americans have different pronunciations for the word "lieutenant." Americans pronounce it (loo-TEN-uhnt) ... while the Brits say (lef-TEN-uhnt). Of course ... what do the British know about the Queen's English???
- Steve Walsh
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