This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Dulcinea
in reply to a message by Eden
I have not seen that movie, but I would assume that in that scene they were trying to portray the character as being humorously incorrect.I think that "Dool-CHEE-nee-uh" would be the sort of pronunciation someone who was familiar with Italian names but not Spanish ones would try to use. "dool-sin-AY-uh" would be closer to the original Spanish pronunciation, and Don Quixote is originally a Spanish novel, not an Italian one.
vote up1vote down

Replies

In Italian the character of Dulcinea in Don Quixote is known as "Dool-CHEE-ne-uh, because that's just how that spelling would be pronounced. It's even entered the common language as a humurous term to indicate a female love interest.
vote up1vote down
Thank youThe character is definitely not worldly and probably does not have an extensive education, so you're probably correct in your assumption. I'd always thought it was "dool-sin-AY-uh," but it kind of threw me when I heard it pronounced the other way.
vote up1vote down