Message: "Elmira" - Behind the Name

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Elmira

by -=A=- (Avgvst)

3/27/2008, 5:12 PM

Then how do you explain the pronunciations of Elmira as el-MIE-ruh, such as the city in New York State, and my family's pronunciation of Elmira?

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- Melissa (telfalathiel)

3/27/2008, 7:04 PM

Is it possible it is a variation of the Germanic name Elmeira which would be pronounced el-MY-rah? In German, the second vowel in a set of two vowels is long. If there is only one vowel, it is short. So then, in German it would be Elmeira (el-MY-rah) and Elmira (el-MEE-rah). Just a theory.

- Lillian (LillianAMS) +1

3/27/2008, 6:35 PM

It's el-MIE-rah in Texas too

That's the only pronunciation I ever heard for the first three decades of my life.

AND I think everyone who's trashing -=A=- is being very rude. I don't think he did anything worthy of this kind of treatment -- and y'all should all know I'd be right in there if I did.

- -=A=- (Avgvst)

3/27/2008, 6:52 PM

Thank you Lillian. While they could stand to take it down a notch, surely you, as well as I, do enjoy such thrashingly impassioned name discussions by these youthful zealots as much as I do. I have a very hard shell. :)

- Julia (JuliaF)

3/27/2008, 6:27 PM

See my reply to Siri, sorry!

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