New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] Leigh vs Lee
Where did the "Lee" pronunciation of "Leigh" come from? Maybe that question should be in name facts so I have cross posted, but I also have an opinion question.
When I see "Leigh" I always pronounce it "lay." Does anyone else do this? Is this etymologically correct?
When I see "Leigh" I always pronounce it "lay." Does anyone else do this? Is this etymologically correct?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
It's just one of the quirks of English.
In a similar vein, there's a town in West Yorkshire called Keighley, which is pronounced keith-lee, so the 'eigh' there makes neither an 'ay' or 'ee' sound. English is fun!
In a similar vein, there's a town in West Yorkshire called Keighley, which is pronounced keith-lee, so the 'eigh' there makes neither an 'ay' or 'ee' sound. English is fun!
1
That makes sense from a historical perspective. The -gh digraph used to make a guttural sound similar to -th, but it dropped out around the time of the Great Vowel Shift (c. 1500). While most words shifted to make -gh silent, Keighley retained the original pronunciation.
Just a little linguistics nerdery.
Just a little linguistics nerdery.
1
Yes, I do recall hearing that, it's actually quite common over here to have places which are pronounced totally different to how it would appear, as they retain ancient pronunciations.
Another example back home in West Yorkshire, is Sowerby, which retains the Old Norse pronunciation of saw-be. I love these quirks!
Another example back home in West Yorkshire, is Sowerby, which retains the Old Norse pronunciation of saw-be. I love these quirks!
1
I've never heard Leigh pronounced as anything but Lee, and I really hope I never do. Lay? Really? As a name?
What I find more interesting is the gender divide. I expect Leigh to be a girl and Lee to be more likely to be a boy, but not always. I've heard that in some places this is reversed, with boy Leigh and girl Lee being standard. Does anyone know?
What I find more interesting is the gender divide. I expect Leigh to be a girl and Lee to be more likely to be a boy, but not always. I've heard that in some places this is reversed, with boy Leigh and girl Lee being standard. Does anyone know?
1
That's how the surname's pronounced, and other surnames with leigh endings: Chudleigh, Eastleigh, Raleigh etc. As noel said, it's locational from leah, OE for meadow. Some placenames do use a lay pronunciation, e.g. Leighton Buzzard, but that tends to be at the beginning of the name. Yes, English is weird. :)
1
yeah it kinda messed with my head finding out it was always "lee" and never "lay". i was around 12 or so and i guess i'd only really seen it written down. i don't think there's any basis for it though. like, you could name a kid Leigh and say it like that but it would probably be confusing and kind of a pain to correct, in both pronunciation and spelling.
1
I've never thought of it (Leigh "Lee") as weird.
Raleigh is pronounced like lee. Maybe it's an Old English thing. (ETA: according to wiktionary, the Old English spelling was "leah", and in Middle English, there were a few different versions, including "lei" and "legh").
I've never met a Leigh who pronounced it "lay". It does look like it should rhyme with sleigh, though.
Raleigh is pronounced like lee. Maybe it's an Old English thing. (ETA: according to wiktionary, the Old English spelling was "leah", and in Middle English, there were a few different versions, including "lei" and "legh").
I've never met a Leigh who pronounced it "lay". It does look like it should rhyme with sleigh, though.
This message was edited 6/14/2018, 10:36 PM
1
I'm clueless to that as well. I also used to say it as 'Lay' and reportedly still do at times.
While reading some series written by a woman of the name, 'Leigh Bardugo' a few years back, I was saying her name as 'Lay' as that's what I had strongly assumed and the spelling was new to me.
It's strange I think. I mean Leighton is said as Layton after all yet Leigh is reportedly just Lee. \:
I personally don't care for it, especially seeing it attached at the back of a name. *vomits*
Paisleigh, Hadleigh, Everleigh, Kileigh, Ryleigh and whatever else possible.
While reading some series written by a woman of the name, 'Leigh Bardugo' a few years back, I was saying her name as 'Lay' as that's what I had strongly assumed and the spelling was new to me.
It's strange I think. I mean Leighton is said as Layton after all yet Leigh is reportedly just Lee. \:
I personally don't care for it, especially seeing it attached at the back of a name. *vomits*
Paisleigh, Hadleigh, Everleigh, Kileigh, Ryleigh and whatever else possible.
1