Megara / Megaera
How do you pronounce both Megara and Megaera? Do you think either is usable?
Replies
I don’t think it’s usable. The only associations with Megaera are derogatory, and the namesake myth is very negative.
I have no idea how to pronounce it in English.
I have no idea how to pronounce it in English.
I would pronounce them meg-AH-ra and me-AIR-ah.
Megara sounds beautiful, but the meaning is almost repulsive, so no thanks.
Megara sounds beautiful, but the meaning is almost repulsive, so no thanks.
In Portuguese, megera (derived from Megaera) is a term used to denote a shrewish woman. I don't think either is usable where I live.
This message was edited 1/13/2018, 7:23 AM
Visually, I want to pronounce Megara with the emphasis on the second syllable, making it long, something like 'meg-ARR-rah'. Megaera I'd have no idea where to start.
However, Disney's Hercules is one of my favourite films that I've watched a hundred times so I've trained my brain to abandon the above, natural pronunciation in favour for the one for the character in the film, which is along the lines of MEG-ah-rah "Meg".
I think Megara is useable and as long as you're consistent with the pronunciation, people would get used to it. I like Megaera is a spelling too far though in this day and age, anything works!
However, Disney's Hercules is one of my favourite films that I've watched a hundred times so I've trained my brain to abandon the above, natural pronunciation in favour for the one for the character in the film, which is along the lines of MEG-ah-rah "Meg".
I think Megara is useable and as long as you're consistent with the pronunciation, people would get used to it. I like Megaera is a spelling too far though in this day and age, anything works!
I was going to say yes for Megara, but then I saw in the description The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera). So for that reason I’d say no.