Message: "Re: How would you pronounce these names?"

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

[Opinions] Re: How would you pronounce these names?

by Etoile

2/23/2011, 2:40 PM

I'm American, but my pronunciations for a couple of these are influenced by the fact that I speak French (not fluently, but my pronunciation is pretty good, so that's what counts here).

Jacqueline -- JAK-ə-linn, JAK-linn, zhah-KLEEN
Genevieve -- JENN-ə-veev (if it were Geneviève, though, I'd say zhe(n)-VYEV, with (n) meaning a nasal sound)
Ephraim -- I don't actually know how to pronounce this name, so I'd guess that it's EFF-rehm, EFF-rəm, or eh-FRAIM
Tamara -- TA-mə-rə, TAM-ə-rə (although the second syllable is supposed to be stressed, isn't it? tə-MAH-rə, then, I guess)
Anastasia -- ann-ə-STAY-zhyah
Joel -- JOLE (rhymes with coal)
Madeline -- MAD-ə-line, MAD-ə-linn (either way, it's three syllables for me)
Andrea -- ANN-dree-ə
Renee -- re-NAY (completely French pronunciation)
Serena -- sə-REE-nə

I hope those make sense (especially with all of the schwas)

This message was edited 2/23/2011, 2:41 PM

Replies

- coldplayer9 +1

2/23/2011, 6:22 PM

Thanks, that made perfect sense, I'm familiar with the French pronunciations. I like the French pronunciation of Renee, but I'd never use the French Genevieve. I think it's much prettier in English.

And in case you were wondering, in Hebrew, which is the language that Ephraim comes from, it's pronounced ee-FRAH-yeem. I would pronounce it EF-ram though.

- Etoile

2/23/2011, 6:51 PM

I thought Ephraim was Hebrew, but I wasn't sure how much of an anglicized spelling that was. That "proper" pronunciation makes sense, though.

- coldplayer9

2/23/2011, 6:22 PM

ignore- double post

This message was edited 2/23/2011, 6:24 PM

View Message

Replies