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HelpRe: Maureen
in reply to a message by vigdis
It's super-dated here and only happens on people over 70. The only living Maureen I know is an American friend of a friend who I see periodically - for years I thought her name was Marine, and was very surprised when I saw it written down as here we pronounce it MORE een. I think I could like it with the US pronunciation, but I can't see it coming back here for a long time, if ever.
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I've heard MORE-een and MOIR-een but never MAHR-een for Maureen while here in the US. Maybe your friend is the type of person who is named Bucket but pronounces it Bouquet a la Keeping Up Appearances?
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It is definitely pronounced MORE-een in the US, also. If your American acquaintance pronounced it Marine, that was an aberration. (Now I half expect half a dozen Americans to tell me that they or someone they know or in their area it's pronounced Marine, but I have never ever heard that pronunciation.)
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Maybe she just has an odd accent! - not sure where in the US she's from. But it definitely sounded like mə REEN to me (which is how I'd say marine), emphasis on the second syllable, not the first.
http://forvo.com/word/maureen/#en
The third pronunciation down is closest to it. The fourth is closest to what I'm used to hearing as Maureen.
http://forvo.com/word/maureen/#en
The third pronunciation down is closest to it. The fourth is closest to what I'm used to hearing as Maureen.
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It could be an accent. Like, 'Merica!
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Here in the Pacific Northwest it's definitely "mor-EEN." (I'd use an upside down "e" but I don't know how.)
My niece has apparently inspired other little Maureens in her town. Three have been enrolled at a nearby school since she went through in the 1990s. Her mother (my SIL) is a teacher so she's up on these things.
Anyway. This is a long winded way of saying that here in Seattle / Spokane, it's pronounced with the stress on the second syllable. I prefer it on the first. But there it is.
My niece has apparently inspired other little Maureens in her town. Three have been enrolled at a nearby school since she went through in the 1990s. Her mother (my SIL) is a teacher so she's up on these things.
Anyway. This is a long winded way of saying that here in Seattle / Spokane, it's pronounced with the stress on the second syllable. I prefer it on the first. But there it is.
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Agree
It's definitely pronounced more-EEN here. I've never heard it said any other way.
It's definitely pronounced more-EEN here. I've never heard it said any other way.
This message was edited 4/29/2015, 3:38 AM
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