David Baddiels comment about Corbyn

[Minionoftheantichrist]

I’ve looked for a thread about this but can’t see one.
David Baddiel picked up that on the leaders debate Corbyn pronounced Epstein in a way that made it sound more Jewish ie Epshteen as opposed to Epsteen. He said every Jew will have noticed this and that it’s another example of Corbyns antisemitism.

I’m Jewish. I’m no fan of Corbyn but really hadn’t noticed this and even now David Baddiel has pointed it out, am struggling to see this as an example of antisemitism. Am I missing something here? Is this antisemitic?

[Haworthia]

I noticed it and I’m not Jewish. I think David has a point.

[Breathlessness]

I’m not Jewish and I noticed it too.

[TheQueef]

Is that the best he can do?
Scraping the barrel a bit.

[Saucery]

It was very obvious and Johnson pronounced it very clearly in the way we are used to hearing it. I also think DB has a point.

[EssentialHummus]

Another Jew here. I can't get worked up about this. It's not like he came out, shrugged his shoulders and said oy vey, this verkakte Boris is a real veytik in de haltz.

With all the things these two pillocks have done, this really doesn't register.

[Saucery]

Was he maybe just trying too hard to pronounce it in a way he considers ‘properly’?

[Ironfloor269]

Scraping the barrel alright.

So what's wrong with pronouncing a Jewish name in a Jewish pronunciation? I really don't get it.

[HeyMissyYouSoFine]

I think it adds to a pattern of behavior - rather than saying anything by it's self.

[DriftingLeaves]

He has a point.

[Bunnybigears]

Genuinely confused how does pronouncing a Jewish name in a Jewish way make you anti Jewish?

[RaymondStopThat]

I noticed it, and also thought that Boris emphasised the other pronunciation afterwards, as if to make a point. They really are an unlikeable pair.

[Breathlessness]

He does have the look of one of those people who would insist on using the correct Spanish pronunciation when ordering tapas in Croydon.

[CatInTheDaytime]

I noticed it, he actually said Ep-shtine which is how it would originally be said in German. While I massively dislike Corbyn and despair over Labour's antisemitism issues, I took it as typical Corbynesque out-of-touchness and insularity, i.e. he hasn't bothered to listen to how that particular person's name is pronounced but defaulted to his own knowledge and education.

What would be the point of doing that deliberately as some kind of slur? It would just undermine his own statements on this issue (hollow as they are).

[Justanotherlurker]

twitter.com/CatherineLenson/status/1197073351111516160

[Ohyesiam]

Genuinely confused how does pronouncing a Jewish name in a Jewish way make you anti Jewish?

Me too, but I imagine people think it’s “othering” or some such.

[Minionoftheantichrist]

EssentialHummus😀

Being Jewish I usually am very sensitive to antisemitism in its many forms so I’m not sure how this went right over my head.

[SlightlyBonkersQFA]

Can you all tell a German name from a Jewish one? Excuse my ignorance. But that mak3s a difference imo.

[pigeononthegate]

I would have pronounced it that way too, because I speak some German and that's the correct pronunciation

Am I an anti-Semite as well? What utter nonsense.

[stitchwitch85]

He does have the look of one of those people who would insist on using the correct Spanish pronunciation when ordering tapas in Croydon.

Given he speaks fluent Spanish, I wouldn’t be surprised, @Breathlessness !

(Didn’t watch the debate, but as a German speaker I would have pronounced Epstein as Ep-Schtine if I hadn’t known it was pronounced differently in America. Not sure that explains Corbyn doing it as surely he must have heard it pronounced on TV/radio/whatever?)

[kingsassassin]

When the only reason you're talking about that person is because he was a convicted sex offender, why would you make a point of emphasising the jewishness of that particular sex offender's name by pronouncing it in a very unusual way.

[Gonetoget]

The poor bloke can't win. If he's pronounced it epsteen, he'd have been jumped on for not doing it the other way. Scraping the barrel indeed.

[SlightlyBonkersQFA]

Is it a specifically Jewish surname?

[RaymondStopThat]

It's interesting that he used Epshtine on one occasion and Epstine on the other. So two pronunciations, both wrong.

[BigFatLiar]

What is the correct pronunciation of the name (as the man himself uses it?) My name is Scottish and lots of people get it wrong, even when going out of their way to try and get it right, doesn't make them anti Scottish.

[Minionoftheantichrist]

kingsassassin but Epstein is a quintessential Jewish sounding name so surely it’s absolutely obvious to people that he was Jewish no matter how it’s pronounced? It would be like trying to put extra emphasis on the name Cohen to make certain picked up on its origins when it’s origins are obvious.