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HelpNames pronounced differently in the US and the UK
I just realized 3 boys' names I like are pronounced differently in the US and the UK:
Anthony (US: anth-ony / UK: ant-ony)
Bernard (US: ber-NARD / UK: BER-nurd)
Maurice (US: mo-REESE / UK: MORE-iss)
Can you think of any more?
Anthony (US: anth-ony / UK: ant-ony)
Bernard (US: ber-NARD / UK: BER-nurd)
Maurice (US: mo-REESE / UK: MORE-iss)
Can you think of any more?
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Helena & Tamara
US: Hel-AY-na
UK: HELL-en-a
US: Ta-MAH-ra/ Ta-MAIR-a
UK: TAM-a-ra
There are some regional differences here, but this is generally what I've found.
US: Hel-AY-na
UK: HELL-en-a
US: Ta-MAH-ra/ Ta-MAIR-a
UK: TAM-a-ra
There are some regional differences here, but this is generally what I've found.
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I'm in the US and I say HEL-en-a. I believe there is no one true US pronunciation for Helena. You'll find HEL-en-a, he-LAY-na, and even he-LEE-na.
My mother almost named me Tamara, and we would have pronounced it TAM-ra/TAM-a-ra. I've heard those pronunciations and ta-MAIR-a (especially after Tamera Mowry became famous) in the US, but not ta-MAH-ra.
My mother almost named me Tamara, and we would have pronounced it TAM-ra/TAM-a-ra. I've heard those pronunciations and ta-MAIR-a (especially after Tamera Mowry became famous) in the US, but not ta-MAH-ra.
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Ta-MAH-ra is almost the same is Ta-MAIR-ah, just not as harsh. It rhymes with Sara, which is SAAH-ra as opposed to Sarah which is SAIR-ah.
Also, Tamara Mowry didn't inspire this pronunciation. The way she pronounces it is the way it's pronounced in almost every European language (Russian, Spanish...). It just seems more natural to people of those cultures.
Also, Tamara Mowry didn't inspire this pronunciation. The way she pronounces it is the way it's pronounced in almost every European language (Russian, Spanish...). It just seems more natural to people of those cultures.
This message was edited 10/18/2011, 9:46 PM
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I'm from the US (Wyoming) and I've only ever heard HELL-en-a for Helena. I know of people who live in hel-AY-na regions just from this board, but I've never heard it that way IRL.
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I'm from the NW US and I read Tamara with an emphasis on the first syllable. The other pronunciation is just ... awkward to me.
Helena is correct, though, at least where I live.
Helena is correct, though, at least where I live.
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I've been all over Britain and nobody I've met has ever pronounced 'Tamara' as TAM-a-ra. It's always been ta-MAH-rah
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I'd pronounce Tamara "tuh-MAR-uh". I alwys thought "TAM-uh-ruh" was a US pronunciation.
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Interesting, I've never heard TAM-a-ra at all, that is hard to say! I would say ta-MAH-ruh
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Really? I pronounce Helena like HELL-eh-na and I live in the US. Also I don't know anyone in the US who pronounces Tamara as TAM-a-ra, everyone I know says ta-MAIR-a.
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Regina
In college I had a classmate named Regina, and our professor was British. Whenever he did roll call, he said Reg-eye-nah instead of Reg-ee-nah, which unfortunately for her caused a lot of snickers!
In college I had a classmate named Regina, and our professor was British. Whenever he did roll call, he said Reg-eye-nah instead of Reg-ee-nah, which unfortunately for her caused a lot of snickers!
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The Queen is referred to as Elizabeth Regina (ER) so it's more commonly seen in that form. That's probably why.
http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/assets/0802/0000/0294/romford14_mid.jpg
http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/assets/0802/0000/0294/romford14_mid.jpg
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Louis
As far as I know it's pronounced loo-iss (like Lewis) in the US, whereas we say loo-ee (like Louie) in the UK. I don't know if that's the case for all British Louis, but all the ones I know of (Louis Walsh, Louis Spence, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Louis Theroux etc.) pronounced it like loo-ee.
As far as I know it's pronounced loo-iss (like Lewis) in the US, whereas we say loo-ee (like Louie) in the UK. I don't know if that's the case for all British Louis, but all the ones I know of (Louis Walsh, Louis Spence, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Louis Theroux etc.) pronounced it like loo-ee.
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Maisie - i know 2 from USA they both pronounce it like Macy, where as in the UK we say May-zee
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I've lived all over the US, and I've never encountered Maisie said like Macy, only like MAYZ-ee/MAY-zee.
Perhaps you know some very strange Americans. :)
Perhaps you know some very strange Americans. :)
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I haven't heard this name said much here in the US, but on the rare occasions I have, it's always been pronounced as MAY-zee.
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My great uncle Maurice is MORE-iss, but whenever I see it, I do want to say mor-EESE. I'm in the US. The only ones I can think of that would be different are ones that end in -er. In the US, it's /r/, but in the UK, it would be /uh/.
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Depends where you are; there are quite a few rhotic accents in the UK.
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Tara and Sara are TAH-ra and SAH-ra here
John sounds absolutely nothing like JAHN
Mary doesn't sound like Merry, Harry doesn't sound like Hairy and Barry doesn't sound like Berry
Leen & reen names usually have emphasis on the first syllable, so DOOR-een for Doreen, IGH-leen for Eileen, MOOR-een for Maureen, KATH-leen, etc. This is true for a lot of other names here, too; e.g., we tend to say CHAR-lotte rather than charLOT.
John sounds absolutely nothing like JAHN
Mary doesn't sound like Merry, Harry doesn't sound like Hairy and Barry doesn't sound like Berry
Leen & reen names usually have emphasis on the first syllable, so DOOR-een for Doreen, IGH-leen for Eileen, MOOR-een for Maureen, KATH-leen, etc. This is true for a lot of other names here, too; e.g., we tend to say CHAR-lotte rather than charLOT.
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Charlotte
I agree with all of your others (though I can't figure out how else you'd pronounce John!), but Charlotte is pronounced SHAR-lit here. I've never heard it on a person said any other way. The pronunciation of shar-LOT I've only heard in place names in formerly French areas.
I agree with all of your others (though I can't figure out how else you'd pronounce John!), but Charlotte is pronounced SHAR-lit here. I've never heard it on a person said any other way. The pronunciation of shar-LOT I've only heard in place names in formerly French areas.
This message was edited 10/17/2011, 2:17 PM
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To me, John, hot, log, and frog all have the same vowel sound, but dog does not - it's pronounced more like "dawg." To some people, "aw," "ah" and the short "o" sound are the same. I've seen "phonetically" spelled names like Ariauna or pronunciations written out like ta-tee-AW-nah for Tatiana (where I'd say tah-tee-AH-nah). Looking at Australian BAs, it seems they spell that same sound "ar," which always throws me for a loop because I pronounce the "r"!
When my cousins moved to western Massachusetts from Rhode Island where I live, I noticed a change in how they pronounce that sound despite the short distance. I say CAW-fee, sawce, and dawg, and they say CAH-fee, sahce, and dahg. Maybe it's just me and I never learned to speak correctly. I remember having a book when I was very young that said dog, frog, and log have the same vowel sound, and I was like "No, they don't!"
When my cousins moved to western Massachusetts from Rhode Island where I live, I noticed a change in how they pronounce that sound despite the short distance. I say CAW-fee, sawce, and dawg, and they say CAH-fee, sahce, and dahg. Maybe it's just me and I never learned to speak correctly. I remember having a book when I was very young that said dog, frog, and log have the same vowel sound, and I was like "No, they don't!"
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That's interesting. I'm not sure where I fall on that spectrum, but the way I say John is closer to JAWN than JAHN. I think I make more of an O shape with my mouth for John than for, say, sauce.
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John, hot, log, frog, and dog all have the same vowel sound to me. We apparently merge a lot of vowels sounds where I live.
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They have the same vowel sound for me. O sounding like "aw" makes no sense at all!
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Yeah
I just had an ah/aw conversation with Serafina Starstrider a little bit ago. In my accent aw and ah are totally not the same thing... hot and log do not rhyme at all. But in some they do! The aw sound seems very western to me, like California accent.
I just had an ah/aw conversation with Serafina Starstrider a little bit ago. In my accent aw and ah are totally not the same thing... hot and log do not rhyme at all. But in some they do! The aw sound seems very western to me, like California accent.
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http://www.forvo.com/word/john/#en
that website has UK and US pronounciations of John. Hope that helps!
that website has UK and US pronounciations of John. Hope that helps!
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I'm with Ismene, it sounds basically the same to me. The first one she just sounds English, but the second sounds completely the same. Also, not sure why I didn't think to check that website in the first place!
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I really don't hear much of a difference between the two.
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Imogen - I think it's more like "imogene" in the US, which almost suggests it's a version of Emma Jean
Coralie - I say coh-rah-lie but I think in the US its more like a version of Cora Lee
Irene used to be pronounced with three syllable in Britain but is almost always pronounced the American way now. I once read that this is because of a musical written by an American composer in which a song containing the name Irene was given only two notes instead of three. When the production reached the London stage in the early part of last century this went ahead with two notes, and made an impact on the way Irene was pronounced in Britain. I do know an Irene (over 90) in Australia who was born in England and pronounces her name with three syllables. It's very pretty that way.
Coralie - I say coh-rah-lie but I think in the US its more like a version of Cora Lee
Irene used to be pronounced with three syllable in Britain but is almost always pronounced the American way now. I once read that this is because of a musical written by an American composer in which a song containing the name Irene was given only two notes instead of three. When the production reached the London stage in the early part of last century this went ahead with two notes, and made an impact on the way Irene was pronounced in Britain. I do know an Irene (over 90) in Australia who was born in England and pronounces her name with three syllables. It's very pretty that way.
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I think that the three syllable pronunciation of Irene is so gorgeous. It's a shame that the two syllable one is so widespread now that it would be impractical to try to enforce the extra syllable. I know it's a subtle difference, but it really makes the name for me.
I'm fairly certain that Imogen is one name and Imogene is a variant that gets some use in the U.S.
I'm fairly certain that Imogen is one name and Imogene is a variant that gets some use in the U.S.
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That's interesting! I know an American Irene (eye-REEN) who goes by Rene (REE-nee). Hmm...
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Imogen is pronounced the same way here in the U.S. I think you're thinking of Imogene which does sound a lot like Emma Jean, but with an "i" sound at the beginning.
So in the U.K. you would use a long "i" sound on the end of Coralie? Interesting. I wouldn't have known that. Thanks.
And your Irene story is exactly what keeps me coming here to BtN. Fascinating.
So in the U.K. you would use a long "i" sound on the end of Coralie? Interesting. I wouldn't have known that. Thanks.
And your Irene story is exactly what keeps me coming here to BtN. Fascinating.
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Well, I would agree about the Anth-ony, Ant-ony and Ber-nard, Ber-nurd thing, but as for Maurice, I pronounce it MORE-ees.
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I've never heard Bernard pronounced BER-nurd here in the US, only as ber-NARD. When I was going to school in London, I met a Maya who pronounced her name as MAY-a, not MY-a, but I assumed that was unusual.
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My second cousin is Maya, pronounced like MAY-uh (UK)
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Maya is often pronounced May-a here
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Bernard is one of the few times I prefer the U.S. (OK, really more like the French) way over the U.K. Maurice I could go either way. I didn't realize the "th" was pronounced like Antony in the U.K. I thought the two different spellings (Anthony, Antony) were pronounced distinctly by both sides of the Atlantic -- not to forget our Canadian friends.
Off the top of my head I'm coming up with more feminine examples than male. For instance:
Viola -- "VIE-uh-luh" U.K., "vie-O-luh" U.S.
Clementine -- "CLEM-en-teen" U.K., "CLEM-en-tine" U.S.
Ursula -- "U(r)-syoo-luh" U.K., "URS-uh-luh" U.S.
Eulalie -- "YOO-lah-lee" U.K., "yoo-LAY-lee" or "yoo-LAH-lee" U.S.
Adela -- "AD-uh-luh" U.K., "uh-DEL-uh" U.S.
Sophia -- "so-FIE-uh" U.K. (old style), "so-FEE-uh" U.S.
Maria -- "mah-RIE-uh" U.K. (old style), "mah-REE-uh" U.S.
Iphigenia -- "if-i-jeh-NIE-uh" U.K., "if-i-JEEN-ee-uh" U.S. (although I've heard other ways here in the U.S. too)
Irene -- "eye-REE-nee" U.K., "eye-REEN" U.S. (please advise if this is not so)
St.John -- "SIN-jun" U.K., "Saint John" U.S.
Ralph -- "rayf" U.K., "ralf" U.S. (but I could be wrong on this one, please advise)
Basil -- "BAZ-l" U.K., "BAYZ-l" U.S.
Cecil -- "SESS-l" U.K., "SEES-l" U.S.
Actually, if I've got any of these wrong please let me know. I was born and raised in the U.S., but my parents are from the U.K. and Ireland and we visited a lot. Plus we grew up watching everything the BBC ever produced. So I'm pretty sure of most of these. But I can never really be sure.
Off the top of my head I'm coming up with more feminine examples than male. For instance:
Viola -- "VIE-uh-luh" U.K., "vie-O-luh" U.S.
Clementine -- "CLEM-en-teen" U.K., "CLEM-en-tine" U.S.
Ursula -- "U(r)-syoo-luh" U.K., "URS-uh-luh" U.S.
Eulalie -- "YOO-lah-lee" U.K., "yoo-LAY-lee" or "yoo-LAH-lee" U.S.
Adela -- "AD-uh-luh" U.K., "uh-DEL-uh" U.S.
Sophia -- "so-FIE-uh" U.K. (old style), "so-FEE-uh" U.S.
Maria -- "mah-RIE-uh" U.K. (old style), "mah-REE-uh" U.S.
Iphigenia -- "if-i-jeh-NIE-uh" U.K., "if-i-JEEN-ee-uh" U.S. (although I've heard other ways here in the U.S. too)
Irene -- "eye-REE-nee" U.K., "eye-REEN" U.S. (please advise if this is not so)
St.John -- "SIN-jun" U.K., "Saint John" U.S.
Ralph -- "rayf" U.K., "ralf" U.S. (but I could be wrong on this one, please advise)
Basil -- "BAZ-l" U.K., "BAYZ-l" U.S.
Cecil -- "SESS-l" U.K., "SEES-l" U.S.
Actually, if I've got any of these wrong please let me know. I was born and raised in the U.S., but my parents are from the U.K. and Ireland and we visited a lot. Plus we grew up watching everything the BBC ever produced. So I'm pretty sure of most of these. But I can never really be sure.
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Ralph
I'm American, but so far the UK posters seem to be unaware that Ralph is pronounced "RAYF" in Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore (1878). Another example is English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (his name is pronounced "RAYF"). I've always heard that "RAYF" is the traditional/older/posh English pronunciation.
ETA: I just thought of another example, Ralph Nickleby from Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby. His name is pronounced "RAYF" in the 1977 BBC television serial. However, it is pronounced "RALF" in the TV version of the play, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982).
I'm American, but so far the UK posters seem to be unaware that Ralph is pronounced "RAYF" in Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore (1878). Another example is English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (his name is pronounced "RAYF"). I've always heard that "RAYF" is the traditional/older/posh English pronunciation.
ETA: I just thought of another example, Ralph Nickleby from Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby. His name is pronounced "RAYF" in the 1977 BBC television serial. However, it is pronounced "RALF" in the TV version of the play, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982).
This message was edited 10/17/2011, 6:39 PM
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Ralph started out as Rafe, but slowly the tide turned in the 19th century - Ralph Rackstraw was, of course, a patrician who got exchanged for a common infant as a baby, so part of the joke is that his name gives a big fat clue to his actual origins. Like Oliver Twist, speaking perfect English in spite of his erratic upbringing.
Basically, it's a spelling pronunciation. I blame universal literacy. So, though I wouldn't hesitate to accuse Ralph Fiennes of towering egoism, nor would I necessarily castigate the man for keeping an old tradition alive. (I knew a young Ralph once who must have been born in the 1990s or late 1980s: parents were a high-flying financier and a most pretentious teacher of English.)
Basically, it's a spelling pronunciation. I blame universal literacy. So, though I wouldn't hesitate to accuse Ralph Fiennes of towering egoism, nor would I necessarily castigate the man for keeping an old tradition alive. (I knew a young Ralph once who must have been born in the 1990s or late 1980s: parents were a high-flying financier and a most pretentious teacher of English.)
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Corrections
Clementine - "CLEM-en-tine" like the fruit
Eulalie - can't say, I've never actually heard anyone say it
Adela - "ah-DELL-uh"
Sophia - "so-FEE-uh" NOBODY pronounces it "so-FYE-uh"
Maria - "mah-REE-uh" nobody pronounces it "mah-RYE-uh", at least not anymore. Only Mariah is pronouced that way.
Iphigenia - "if-ih-JEN-ee-uh"
Irene - "EYE-reen"
Ralph - either way
Clementine - "CLEM-en-tine" like the fruit
Eulalie - can't say, I've never actually heard anyone say it
Adela - "ah-DELL-uh"
Sophia - "so-FEE-uh" NOBODY pronounces it "so-FYE-uh"
Maria - "mah-REE-uh" nobody pronounces it "mah-RYE-uh", at least not anymore. Only Mariah is pronouced that way.
Iphigenia - "if-ih-JEN-ee-uh"
Irene - "EYE-reen"
Ralph - either way
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***Clarifying Sophia and Mariah for everyone***
[Andromache, I'm sorry to hijack your response but this seems to be a reoccuring problem for everyone. No doubt this is my fault in not explaining it the first time well enough. My bad.]
Everyone, when I put "old style" next to Sophia and Maria I meant that that is the way those names used to be pronounced in the past. I know that today they are pronounced the same way as the U.S., or I should say as the Spanish and the Italians and others do. I just added the old pronunciations because I've always found them so beautiful and nostalgic sounding. I shouldn't have. It was too confusing. Sorry.
Andromache, thanks for the other responses. It's much appreciated. :-)
[Andromache, I'm sorry to hijack your response but this seems to be a reoccuring problem for everyone. No doubt this is my fault in not explaining it the first time well enough. My bad.]
Everyone, when I put "old style" next to Sophia and Maria I meant that that is the way those names used to be pronounced in the past. I know that today they are pronounced the same way as the U.S., or I should say as the Spanish and the Italians and others do. I just added the old pronunciations because I've always found them so beautiful and nostalgic sounding. I shouldn't have. It was too confusing. Sorry.
Andromache, thanks for the other responses. It's much appreciated. :-)
This message was edited 10/17/2011, 3:09 PM
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I don't know if those are all correct. I'm from the UK, and I say Viola, Clementine, Adele, Sophia, Maria and Irene the way you say is American.
I have definitely never heard Sophia or Maria pronounce with an "eye" sound in them, and I know a fair few Sophias and Marias. Mariah, like Mariah Carey, might be pronounced this way...
I have definitely never heard Sophia or Maria pronounce with an "eye" sound in them, and I know a fair few Sophias and Marias. Mariah, like Mariah Carey, might be pronounced this way...
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I've heard Clementine, Adela, and Cecil both ways in North America. Ursula is closer to Ur-syoo-luh -- or at least, that's what I use. Iphigenia is more like if-i-jeh-NEE-uh where I live (upper Washington State -- by the Canadian border).
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I live in the US (born and raised here as well) and I've only ever heard the name Basil pronounced as BAZ-il.
People pronounce the herb as BAY-zil, but the name is always BAZ-il.
Or, at least, that's been my experience.
People pronounce the herb as BAY-zil, but the name is always BAZ-il.
Or, at least, that's been my experience.
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I agree with this.
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Me too. I had a hedgehog once named Basil "BAY-zil" but that was because I named him after the herb- as far as I know the name is still pronounced BAZ-il / BAS-il here, but is thought of as a "British name".
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All the Sophias and Irenes I know (some of whom are quite elderly) are so-FEE-a and IGH-reen, all the Marias* are ma-REE-a, and Ralph is Ralph here, unless you are Ralph Fiennes and being a big show-off.
Can vouch for Ursula, Basil and Cecil, though.
*Except in the old name for a police van, which is called a 'Black Maria', pronounced ma-RIGH-a
Can vouch for Ursula, Basil and Cecil, though.
*Except in the old name for a police van, which is called a 'Black Maria', pronounced ma-RIGH-a
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Yup, it's just a personal thing of his, not a national thing of ours :)
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Yes, I was aware that the Sophia and Maria examples were outdated. That's why I put "old style" next to them. I'm just so lin love with those pronunciations that I couldn't resist including them. :-)
Good to know about the rest. Pronunciations must be in flux because I've heard Clementine, Ursula and Adela pronounced as indicated in my OP. Now that I think of it Adela Rogers St. John, an American journalist in the early part of the 20th century, pronounced her name "AD-uh-luh" too so it must be more of a historic difference than a geographic one.
Ralph is a puzzlement to me. I've asked ollyar for more information on it. Perhaps you can help. I'm pretty sure I heard that Ralph Fiennes pronounces his name "rayf." But I could have misheard that. In any event, would the name "rayf" be spelled Rafe in the U.K. as in the U.S? Anything you can do to clear this up would help.
Thanks!
Good to know about the rest. Pronunciations must be in flux because I've heard Clementine, Ursula and Adela pronounced as indicated in my OP. Now that I think of it Adela Rogers St. John, an American journalist in the early part of the 20th century, pronounced her name "AD-uh-luh" too so it must be more of a historic difference than a geographic one.
Ralph is a puzzlement to me. I've asked ollyar for more information on it. Perhaps you can help. I'm pretty sure I heard that Ralph Fiennes pronounces his name "rayf." But I could have misheard that. In any event, would the name "rayf" be spelled Rafe in the U.K. as in the U.S? Anything you can do to clear this up would help.
Thanks!
This message was edited 10/17/2011, 12:58 PM
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Interesting topic!
I'm not quite sure about this one, but the other day I was watching Hugh Laurie on The Graham Norton Show and when Graham said his name it struck me as sound different from what I was used to - more like "Yoo" than "Hyoo." I'm doing an awful job of explaining what I mean. Anyway, I'm not sure if that's a regional difference, or just a case of one person, or if I just can't hear.
I'm not quite sure about this one, but the other day I was watching Hugh Laurie on The Graham Norton Show and when Graham said his name it struck me as sound different from what I was used to - more like "Yoo" than "Hyoo." I'm doing an awful job of explaining what I mean. Anyway, I'm not sure if that's a regional difference, or just a case of one person, or if I just can't hear.
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Graham Norton is Irish so it's probably just his accent. I would definitely say "hyoo"
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Some regions of the UK pronounce it like that xx
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Isaiah? (US: eye-ZAY-uh / UK: eye-ZIE-uh)
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Bernard is pronounced more like Burn-erd in the UK really
I can't think of any more off the top of my head
I can't think of any more off the top of my head
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