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Help[Opinions] Ives
How do you pronounce this?
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Thank you, all! Appreciate your input!
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eye-vz
It's hard to write how I pronounce it, but it's like St Ives the place.
It's hard to write how I pronounce it, but it's like St Ives the place.
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As I was going to St. Ives....
I met a man with seven wives.
To rhyme with wives. Just like Mother Goose taught me. :)
I met a man with seven wives.
To rhyme with wives. Just like Mother Goose taught me. :)
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It is pronounced IEVZ (rhymes with 'wives').
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"As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives." Ives rhymes with wives, long "i" sound. Singer / actor Burl Ives also pronounced it this way.
Now Yves, I would pronounce with a long "e" sound. But Ives (to me) has a long "i." Before the Great (English) Vowel Shift of the 15th century, Ives (and wives) would have had a long "e" sound. So I use that as a guide.
Just my two cents.
ETA: I remember watching an episode of "Berkley Square" set in turn of the twentieth century London. One of the families had a newborn named Ivo and they pronounced it with a long "i" sound. So that also added to my decision to use a long "i" in Ives.
Now Yves, I would pronounce with a long "e" sound. But Ives (to me) has a long "i." Before the Great (English) Vowel Shift of the 15th century, Ives (and wives) would have had a long "e" sound. So I use that as a guide.
Just my two cents.
ETA: I remember watching an episode of "Berkley Square" set in turn of the twentieth century London. One of the families had a newborn named Ivo and they pronounced it with a long "i" sound. So that also added to my decision to use a long "i" in Ives.
This message was edited 5/31/2011, 3:50 PM
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I think you're right that most would pronounce with the long "i". I could swear I've heard Yves pronounced with the "s", but this site shows "EEV" as the proper way to say it.
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Ah, could be. Thanks.
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I'm dating myself, but 50's / 60's French actor Yves Montand (sp?) was well enough known in English speaking countries that his pronunciation ("eev") is what is generally used. That's just a personal theory. I have no idea how it would have generally been pronounced before then. But I think I'm safe in saying that he has influenced the pronunciation since then.
It wouldn't surprise me if there are those who still say, "eevz" for Yves.
It wouldn't surprise me if there are those who still say, "eevz" for Yves.
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EEV, kinda like Eve, but with a harder 'v/f' sound.
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Not in English. That's how Yves is pronounced.
Unless every time I've heard it said has been incorrect and it doesn't follow English phonetics for some reason. Both of which are possible!
Unless every time I've heard it said has been incorrect and it doesn't follow English phonetics for some reason. Both of which are possible!
This message was edited 5/31/2011, 3:30 PM
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I am European, the two people I know with this name are called EEV, but like I said, it's not English speaking where I'm from.
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Ah, didn't realize you weren't in an English speaking area. :)
Bear brought up a good point with the Mother Goose Rhyme, too. I forgot about that one, I'd just heard people say Ives referring to the saint or the lotion/soap.
Bear brought up a good point with the Mother Goose Rhyme, too. I forgot about that one, I'd just heard people say Ives referring to the saint or the lotion/soap.
This message was edited 5/31/2011, 3:50 PM
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How it looks, IEVS. Like Ivy but with no y and plural-ized. Or like eyes but with a v stuck in there.
It was one of my favorite names when I was a kid!
It was one of my favorite names when I was a kid!
This message was edited 5/31/2011, 3:11 PM
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Thanks. I think this is how most English speakers would pronounce it. I kind of like Yves but, apparently, the "s" isn't pronounced and I don't care for it without that. Maybe as well be Eve. Ives is related, and "plural" but the sound of the vowel gets changed. Normally I like long "i", but I'm not sold on Ives.
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