New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesMarié with an accent
I've noticed a few Marié's with an accent on the 'e' around lately.I wondered if this is the 'wrong' way of writing the name, and if it affects the pronunciation in French.
In my country (South Africa) normally 'Marie' would be pronounced the Dutch way-MAAAH-rie, which I do not like.Ma-REEE sounds nicer to me.Anyway I am thinking of changing my middle name-Maria-to Marié (to make it a little more modern!), but I would rather leave it if adding the accent makes the word look odd or affects the pronunciation, or if it would look strange to a French person.
In my country (South Africa) normally 'Marie' would be pronounced the Dutch way-MAAAH-rie, which I do not like.Ma-REEE sounds nicer to me.Anyway I am thinking of changing my middle name-Maria-to Marié (to make it a little more modern!), but I would rather leave it if adding the accent makes the word look odd or affects the pronunciation, or if it would look strange to a French person.
1
Replies
like most already said. Marié is not a name in France and it does change the pronunciation (not only the stressing). Marie is one of the most popular names in France and Germany and so is Maria (at least in Germany). I don't think one is more modern than the other ^^ Of course in South Africa it's different, but if you do mind the French spelling and pronunciation you definitely shouldn't change it.
1
Thanks for the info.I've done some research and found that Marié with an accent is indeed only used in South Africa, and means 'married' in French.
Hmm.Perhaps it would be better to simply correct those who pronounce it wrong than to write it with an accent.After all, if it is only a middle name, how often will other people actually even call me by it?
Requires some more thought,,,
Hmm.Perhaps it would be better to simply correct those who pronounce it wrong than to write it with an accent.After all, if it is only a middle name, how often will other people actually even call me by it?
Requires some more thought,,,
This message was edited 5/4/2008, 5:49 PM
1
Just a guess, and I know this isn't the place for it, but could the accented Marie be the Irish pronounciation? Sometimes one sees names in the Celtic languages accented.
1
No, the accented Marie is the way Afrikaans people write it when they want the emphasis on the second syllable.Because normally other Afrikaans people would pronounce the word MAAH-ree (emphasis on first syllable), which is the German way of saying it.Afrikaans is spoken by other Dutch-descended people here in South Africa, such as myself.
1
Correction
In German Marie is pronounced mah-REE.
In German Marie is pronounced mah-REE.
1
Sorry, my mistake then.I always assumed the German and Afrikaans pronunciation of the word is the same, since the languages are fairly similar (well, to me anyway.)
So I guess we are the only country where the name is pronounced MAAH-ree!
So I guess we are the only country where the name is pronounced MAAH-ree!
1
How about putting an accent on the 'i' instead? As in: Marìe. Then it's clear that the stress is on the second syllable, but it's unambiguous that the sound is an "ee", not an "ee-ay".
1
Marie with accented 'i'
That is a very good idea.But having a name spelled the French way would be so cool!
That is a very good idea.But having a name spelled the French way would be so cool!
1
I don't understand... You already do have it spelled the French way! :-)
1
OK, but the French never use an accent on an "i".
But I am not dismissing your idea.Because at least then it would not mean 'husband' or 'married' or anything like that.Plus Afrikaans people would pronounce it right.So right now I'm going back and forth between the 'Marie' and the accented 'Maríe'.
But I am not dismissing your idea.Because at least then it would not mean 'husband' or 'married' or anything like that.Plus Afrikaans people would pronounce it right.So right now I'm going back and forth between the 'Marie' and the accented 'Maríe'.
1
Oh no, I wasn't saying the accent on the 'i' was the French way. You said something like "It would be cool to have it spelled the French way" - I totally forgot that your real middle name is Maria - I was thinking it was Marie. That's why I said mistakenly that you already had it spelled the French way. Sorry for the confusion!
How often do you use your middle name? If you don't really use it, it might be less hassle to simply spell it Marie, because accents can be troublesome on official documents (although perhaps not in your country?). I'm glad my 'Maríe' suggestion was some use, anyway; hope it all goes well!
How often do you use your middle name? If you don't really use it, it might be less hassle to simply spell it Marie, because accents can be troublesome on official documents (although perhaps not in your country?). I'm glad my 'Maríe' suggestion was some use, anyway; hope it all goes well!
1
Hi! I've seen people here (I'm also in South Africa, hence the -za in my handle) using Marié instead of Marie to indicate that the second syllable is emphasised (the assumption being that the -ie makes the Afrikaans sound); this wouldn't be necessary in French, where it would indicate a different sound for the -e, probably mah-ree-eh (eh as in let), so they would just see it as bad French. There's a lot of that going round in SA names! I've actually met a (male) Fransua and a (female) Chantel.
But, if it's your mn, you'd be the only one to know. Which could be a good reason to change, or not to change. Not much help, I'm afraid.
All the best
But, if it's your mn, you'd be the only one to know. Which could be a good reason to change, or not to change. Not much help, I'm afraid.
All the best
1
In French "marié" is the word for "married", and yes, it affects the pronunciation - "ma-ree-EH" or as we'd say it, "ma-ree-AY". It's certainly not a name in France. I think it also means 'spouse'. I'm not French but I'd say it like that else why would the accent be there? I'd stick with "Marie", the accent will probably only cause confusion.
1
Marié is about as French as Beyoncé :)
1