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ArchivesRe: Anglicizations of Irish names
in reply to a message by LiaMaria
I believe pronunciation in Irish names varies quite a bit from region to region, so I'm reluctant to consider those as the only standard pronunciations. You also have to consider how English is pronounced in Ireland. an Irish English-speaker may actually pronounce Kathleen and Caroll exactly like their Irish counterparts.
Like earthnut said, these spellings are approximations; it would be almost impossible to reproduce the exact sound of these names using only English phonetics. For instance, the sound "kh" in Caitlín doesn't really exist in English; "tch" is no more correct than "th".
Using the examples you gave, the anglicized versions Kathleen and Caroll are probably influenced by the existing names Katherine (Katharina in Latin) and (the unrelated) Carolus. Apart from pronunciation, aesthetics probably also plays a role when anglicizing a name. Whence Neve, rather than Neeve, Neive, or Neev (which would all work in English).
Alexandrina, Annabella, Clementine, Charlotte, Emilienne, Florence, Frederica, Katharina, Mary (May), Maud, Penelope, Rosamund, Theodora (Teddy).
Aubrey, Axel, Benedict, Bertrand (Bertie), Cuthbert, Dashiell, Everard, John (Jack) Leopold (Leo), Magnus, Matthias, Maximilian (Max), Wilfred.
Like earthnut said, these spellings are approximations; it would be almost impossible to reproduce the exact sound of these names using only English phonetics. For instance, the sound "kh" in Caitlín doesn't really exist in English; "tch" is no more correct than "th".
Using the examples you gave, the anglicized versions Kathleen and Caroll are probably influenced by the existing names Katherine (Katharina in Latin) and (the unrelated) Carolus. Apart from pronunciation, aesthetics probably also plays a role when anglicizing a name. Whence Neve, rather than Neeve, Neive, or Neev (which would all work in English).
Alexandrina, Annabella, Clementine, Charlotte, Emilienne, Florence, Frederica, Katharina, Mary (May), Maud, Penelope, Rosamund, Theodora (Teddy).
Aubrey, Axel, Benedict, Bertrand (Bertie), Cuthbert, Dashiell, Everard, John (Jack) Leopold (Leo), Magnus, Matthias, Maximilian (Max), Wilfred.
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