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Help[Facts] pronunciation of names - generally
I'm not sure where to post this, but I think the "key" to pronouncing names (http://www.behindthename.com/pronunciation.php) is incomplete/ inaccurate for a number of names and languages:
The explanation of ah and aw sounds (as well as the a in care etc.) apparently refers to American English pronunciation. So there seems to be no short o (such as a British speaker would use in pronouncing e.g. "pot").
There is no equivalent for the É (as opposed to È, which is closer to the e in let) sound common in several European languages, like French and German. It's usually rendered in English as AY but is really one vowel, not a diphtong.
In most non-English languages A is usually pronounced as in heart, U as in put, O as in board etc., so the use of UW etc. for these sounds is mostly confusing when it comes to non-Egnlish names.
For the U and O, there are no accurate representations; the AH is slightly misleading (both for British speakers and for those who can tell A and the Scandinavian °A apart); for the E, there is no symbol at all.
So all in all, the current "key" is only useful in explaining the pronunciation of English names - those that are least likely to even need explaining.
Maybe add to it?
Or use a different code that has more in common with IPA, and is thus more intelligible and helpful in explaining the pronunciation of non-English names.
The explanation of ah and aw sounds (as well as the a in care etc.) apparently refers to American English pronunciation. So there seems to be no short o (such as a British speaker would use in pronouncing e.g. "pot").
There is no equivalent for the É (as opposed to È, which is closer to the e in let) sound common in several European languages, like French and German. It's usually rendered in English as AY but is really one vowel, not a diphtong.
In most non-English languages A is usually pronounced as in heart, U as in put, O as in board etc., so the use of UW etc. for these sounds is mostly confusing when it comes to non-Egnlish names.
For the U and O, there are no accurate representations; the AH is slightly misleading (both for British speakers and for those who can tell A and the Scandinavian °A apart); for the E, there is no symbol at all.
So all in all, the current "key" is only useful in explaining the pronunciation of English names - those that are least likely to even need explaining.
Maybe add to it?
Or use a different code that has more in common with IPA, and is thus more intelligible and helpful in explaining the pronunciation of non-English names.
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