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Help[Opinions] Re: Does Anouk sound weird to most American's?
in reply to a message by babyZsazsa
It definitely sounds Inuit, and I wouldn't guess it were French if I had never seen it before. I only know of it from Chocolat, and so I only associate it with that little girl and thus it's a very youthful name. I can't really picture it on an adult. I don't think it would be unusable in the US though.
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Is Chocolat a movie or a play? How old is it? This conversation is the first I've heard of it. Living overseas means I'm rather out of the loop re: current entertainment (that and not really giving a rip about such). Also, was the production done by people who know and speak Fr. or by En. speakers who may butcher prn. of some names and words.
This message was edited 9/22/2011, 7:32 PM
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Chocolat is a film from 2000, starring Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Judi Dench. It was directed by Swede Lasse Hallstrom, and filmed mostly in France and the interiors in the UK. (it's based on a UK author Joanne Harris' book) .
It became quite an unexpected hit in the usa and was nominated for oscars etc. Anouk is Juliette Binoche's daughter in the film.
In film, Anouk is pronounced correctly Anook or (Ah-Newk) the long oo vowel sound as in Anoushka or the sound of the letter U in Uma or Flute.
I would also say more people in the usa do recognize the name (if they recognize it at all) from Chocolat rather than from the French actress, as it is more of their generation now, than the 1960's when Ms. Aimee had her heyday.
It became quite an unexpected hit in the usa and was nominated for oscars etc. Anouk is Juliette Binoche's daughter in the film.
In film, Anouk is pronounced correctly Anook or (Ah-Newk) the long oo vowel sound as in Anoushka or the sound of the letter U in Uma or Flute.
I would also say more people in the usa do recognize the name (if they recognize it at all) from Chocolat rather than from the French actress, as it is more of their generation now, than the 1960's when Ms. Aimee had her heyday.
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Does it have more of a light touch on the k sound? I automatically read the vowel soond to be more like ew than Nanook... just realize some others might not read it that way... With the k being pronounced it sounds quite unappealing... even if I pronounce it w/ a Fr. accent.
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Yes I would say there is a light touch on the k sound. Although what may be appealing to one person is not to another etc.
This is how it is pronounced (audio of native speakers)
http://www.forvo.com/search/anouk/fr/
I am also 99% sure it is said like the above in Chocolat as well.
This is how it is pronounced (audio of native speakers)
http://www.forvo.com/search/anouk/fr/
I am also 99% sure it is said like the above in Chocolat as well.
This message was edited 9/23/2011, 1:47 PM
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Ok... yeah... really not liking it w/ that hard k...
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I don't know how it's said for realz in French, but in Chocolat it's said like ah-NOOK. Not an ew sound. Unless I'm totally remembering wrong, which is possible!
This message was edited 9/23/2011, 10:36 AM
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It's also a book
But I (and probably most people) have only seen the movie. It's one of my favorites too!
But I (and probably most people) have only seen the movie. It's one of my favorites too!
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Chocolat introduced me to the name. I fell in love with it, but you're right that it doesn't sound all that French. I probably would have thought it was Inuit if I didn't know anything about it.
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