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ArchivesRe: About Magdalene in English
in reply to a message by Cressida
I don't know how most women named Magdalene who live in England would pronounce this name. But I think that in the USA, almost everyone would find the "Maud-lyn" pronunciation to be eccentric. I've never heard the name pronounced without the "g" in the US.
However, there are several names which have different normal pronunciations in American English than the do in British English. Americans normally accent Bernard on the second syllable, while in England it's normally accented on the first. The same goes for Demi, which in the USA is normally said "deh-MEE" while in the UK people tend to rhyme it with Emmy. Neither of these is a "mispronunciation"; it's just a matter of dialect.
Pronunciations also do change historically. Just because Magdalene developed the pronunciation of "Maudlin" in medieval England doesn't mean that the modern English pronounce it that way. 21st century English is pronounced very differently from the way Chaucer pronounced it. Hopefully someone from the UK will clarify this. :)
However, there are several names which have different normal pronunciations in American English than the do in British English. Americans normally accent Bernard on the second syllable, while in England it's normally accented on the first. The same goes for Demi, which in the USA is normally said "deh-MEE" while in the UK people tend to rhyme it with Emmy. Neither of these is a "mispronunciation"; it's just a matter of dialect.
Pronunciations also do change historically. Just because Magdalene developed the pronunciation of "Maudlin" in medieval England doesn't mean that the modern English pronounce it that way. 21st century English is pronounced very differently from the way Chaucer pronounced it. Hopefully someone from the UK will clarify this. :)
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Replies
Magdelene and Demi
I've never met anyone called Magdalene but I would pronounce it with the "g" (and I'm in England). My assumption was that only the colleges use the antiquated pronunciation Maudlyn, but I could be wrong.
Re Demi - I seem to remember that when Demi Moore first became well known here in the early 90's I always heard her name pronounced as Demmy. Now, I tend to hear people call her Deh-MEE Moore although many people still pronounce it Demmy. I think it was just a wrong assumption (possibly people thought it should sound like "semi") and it spread. The name Demi (prn Demmy) has recently become reasonably trendy, possibly because it was used in the soap opera EastEnders. I see it hyphenated occasionally too e.g. Demi-Lee. Sorry, going off topic now.
I've never met anyone called Magdalene but I would pronounce it with the "g" (and I'm in England). My assumption was that only the colleges use the antiquated pronunciation Maudlyn, but I could be wrong.
Re Demi - I seem to remember that when Demi Moore first became well known here in the early 90's I always heard her name pronounced as Demmy. Now, I tend to hear people call her Deh-MEE Moore although many people still pronounce it Demmy. I think it was just a wrong assumption (possibly people thought it should sound like "semi") and it spread. The name Demi (prn Demmy) has recently become reasonably trendy, possibly because it was used in the soap opera EastEnders. I see it hyphenated occasionally too e.g. Demi-Lee. Sorry, going off topic now.
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Demi - meant to go under Cleveland's post
I live in the US and I'd pronounce Demi to rhyme with Emmy. I don't know if I've ever heard it said deh-MEE, although Demi Moore is the only time I ever have heard the name. I don't know which way is correct to say her name, but I've only heard Demmy I believe.
And for the record, I've never heard Magdalene said without the g either.
I live in the US and I'd pronounce Demi to rhyme with Emmy. I don't know if I've ever heard it said deh-MEE, although Demi Moore is the only time I ever have heard the name. I don't know which way is correct to say her name, but I've only heard Demmy I believe.
And for the record, I've never heard Magdalene said without the g either.
This message was edited 5/26/2009, 1:34 PM
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Personally I don't recall ever having heard a newscaster on TV in the USA call Demi Moore "Demmy", though perhaps once or twice I've heard a member of the general public say it that way. But I also often hear members of the general public saying "Hayley" Berry for Halle Berry instead of "Hallie", which is the way she pronounces it, and also how I remember all newscasters pronouncing Halle.
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