Message: "The pronunciation of Leigh"

[Facts] The pronunciation of Leigh

by Ylva

9/18/2006, 3:16 PM

I though Leigh was pronounced as Lee. But tonight I heard it pronounced as "Lay" in a British TV program. It was a male Leigh.

So I wonder if the Lay pronunciation is especially British?

- She said he made a racial slur!
- Racial? She is Swedish!
- Maybe he called her Meatball.

"I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve decided to be spontaneous."

#Leigh #pronunciation

Replies

- AJ (guest)

10/11/2006, 8:55 PM

I have always known Leigh to be pronounced "Lee" as a first name or feminine and "Lay" as a last name or masculine.

- gigibee (guest) +1

9/19/2006, 5:10 PM

I would have to disagree with LMS below, who says in the U.S. it is commonly pronounced Lay. I'm 55 and have spent my whole life in the U.S. I've lived in several areas, too -- New York (East), Illinois (Midwest), Arizona and Colorado (West) and Texas (South). I have never heard any pronunciation other than Lee.

- Cleveland Kent Evans (clevelandkentevans)

9/20/2006, 5:19 PM

I'm exactly the same age as the previous poster, have lived in western New York, central Virginia, southeastern Michigan, and eastern Nebraska, as well as having contacts all over the USA, and I have never run across a person of either gender named Leigh who did not pronounce it as Lee.

- Lauren B (guest) +1

9/19/2006, 2:36 AM

In England it's always pronounced as LEE, and I'm fairly sure it's the same in the rest of Britain too. What programme were you watching?

- Ylva

9/19/2006, 5:44 AM

It is a series of documentaries called "Outsiders". This one was about older parents, women over 40 having children. I don't know what the program was called in Britain.

- She said he made a racial slur!
- Racial? She is Swedish!
- Maybe he called her Meatball.

"I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve decided to be spontaneous."

- LMS

9/19/2006, 1:52 AM

In the US it is most commonly pronounced as Lay, but I am unsure of the British form, and I have never heard Leigh on a man in the US.

- Agata (ADT)

9/18/2006, 6:37 PM

I really liked Chrisell's comment below me. You also have to note that a "British accent" differs depending on where exactly one's from - ex. someone from the Midlands would have a diff. accent than someone from London.

- Chrisell +1

9/18/2006, 5:43 PM

Not that I've ever heard, on British TV or from British relatives.

From what I've seen/heard, it appears that the usual pronunciation is LEE, but that a few individuals here and there decide to pronounce it LAY (possibly because it is or was intended as a nickname for Leighton, which is pronounced LAY-ton).

♦ Chrisell ♦

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.

- Ylva

9/20/2006, 5:25 AM

Leigh in Leighton

Yes, that might be it. Maybe his formal name as Leighton but he has been called Leigh (Lay) all his life.

English pronunciation is very difficult :)

- She said he made a racial slur!
- Racial? She is Swedish!
- Maybe he called her Meatball.

"I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve decided to be spontaneous."

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