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Help[Facts] Re: Yareth
in reply to a message by Ora (hufflepuffer)
This is probably not from the "Star Trek" character.
It's most likely a fairly new creation which blends sounds from other names used in Latin America. People in Latin America invent new names from fashionable sounds just like people in English-speaking countries do.
I would expect Yareth is a blend of Yara and Janeth. As this site points out, Yara is a form of Iara, which is a name from the Tupi Native American language (found in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay) which has spread throughout Latin America.
Janeth is just a Latin American respelling of Janet. As "h" is always silent in Spanish, Latin Americans see "t" and "th" as always being spellings of the same sound, and it has become fairly common for parents in Latin America who like to respell names to add an "h" after "t" in names in a way which would never happen in English-speaking countries. So you not only see Janeth as an alternative spelling of Janet in Latin America, but spellings like Thimothy for Timothy, Bethzy for Betsy, Iveth for Ivette or Yvette, etc.
Also, in Latin American, especially in Caribbean cultures, "Y" is often substituted for "J" in names derived from other languages. It is common to see Hispanic-American girls who have names like Yenifer and Yesica, with the "Y" meant to be a way to spell the English "J" sound in Spanish.
I don't know how your friend pronounces her name when she is speaking English, but back in Mexico I think it would often be close to the English word "jar" with "-et" added, so it would sound like Janet with an "r" substituted for the "n".
It's most likely a fairly new creation which blends sounds from other names used in Latin America. People in Latin America invent new names from fashionable sounds just like people in English-speaking countries do.
I would expect Yareth is a blend of Yara and Janeth. As this site points out, Yara is a form of Iara, which is a name from the Tupi Native American language (found in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay) which has spread throughout Latin America.
Janeth is just a Latin American respelling of Janet. As "h" is always silent in Spanish, Latin Americans see "t" and "th" as always being spellings of the same sound, and it has become fairly common for parents in Latin America who like to respell names to add an "h" after "t" in names in a way which would never happen in English-speaking countries. So you not only see Janeth as an alternative spelling of Janet in Latin America, but spellings like Thimothy for Timothy, Bethzy for Betsy, Iveth for Ivette or Yvette, etc.
Also, in Latin American, especially in Caribbean cultures, "Y" is often substituted for "J" in names derived from other languages. It is common to see Hispanic-American girls who have names like Yenifer and Yesica, with the "Y" meant to be a way to spell the English "J" sound in Spanish.
I don't know how your friend pronounces her name when she is speaking English, but back in Mexico I think it would often be close to the English word "jar" with "-et" added, so it would sound like Janet with an "r" substituted for the "n".
This message was edited 7/20/2022, 11:37 AM
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Replies
This is an amazing response - thank you so much!
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Dr. Evans is exactly right with these observations. Years ago I worked with Central American immigrant children in East Los Angeles, and saw many examples of these phenomena. The name I recall as being the most strikingly nonintuitive to English-speakers was Yoseth, which was pronounced just like Josette.
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This is absolutely fascinating - thank you!
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