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Help[Opinions] Re: How would you pronounce this?
in reply to a message by little_kit
If I've never seen it before I would probably pronounce it as "NEE-am" (sort of rhyming with Liam). But being a name nerd, I know it is pronounced as Neev.
But I would probably ask how it is pronounced, b/c English pronounciations (and even more Irish ones) are often tricky for us foreigners.
But I thought people in USA would know by now, since Irish names are so popular. Or maybe you live in a small town with few Irish immigrants?
I like the name itself and I like the authentic Irish spelling Niamh too.
"But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself."
Rick Nelson, GardenParty
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
But I would probably ask how it is pronounced, b/c English pronounciations (and even more Irish ones) are often tricky for us foreigners.
But I thought people in USA would know by now, since Irish names are so popular. Or maybe you live in a small town with few Irish immigrants?
I like the name itself and I like the authentic Irish spelling Niamh too.
"But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself."
Rick Nelson, GardenParty
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
This message was edited 3/14/2006, 6:17 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
I live in the US where there is a high concentration of people of Irish descent (myself included), but I've yet to hear it. In fact, I can't think of any time I've heard of a baby being born in this area where an Irish name with the Gaelic spelling is used. The first time I saw the names "Sinead" and "Siobhan" were in the '80s, my Irish pen pal used to tell me of friends she had with these names. I had no idea how to pronounce them. I know of "Niamh" not just from these boards but from the show "Ballykissangel" which I used to watch on PBS - there were books put out based on the series and that is where I saw the spelling "Niamh", but having heard the correct pronounciation "Neev" on the show.
Irish names like Aidan, Connor and Maeve are popular around here, along with many others. But I suspect many people are afraid to use the names with Gaelic spellings, gorgeous sounding though they are, for fear of dooming their child to a lifetime of correcting people on the spelling and pronounciation of their names.
I knew someone who was considering "Declan" but settled on Connor. I never heard of Declan until I read a Maeve Binchy book with a character by this name several years ago. I could see that one rising in popularity eventually since the it is spelled as it is pronounced.
Interesting stuff, all this is!
Irish names like Aidan, Connor and Maeve are popular around here, along with many others. But I suspect many people are afraid to use the names with Gaelic spellings, gorgeous sounding though they are, for fear of dooming their child to a lifetime of correcting people on the spelling and pronounciation of their names.
I knew someone who was considering "Declan" but settled on Connor. I never heard of Declan until I read a Maeve Binchy book with a character by this name several years ago. I could see that one rising in popularity eventually since the it is spelled as it is pronounced.
Interesting stuff, all this is!
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Yes, me too, and the obvious reason is
that spoken Gaelic bears no resemblance to the spoken English with which it largely shares a written alphabet. Much like Navajo, for example, or many other native languages throughout the Americas. And we in the Americas do not expect people in the UK to know how to pronounce them. Yes, Gaelic-origin names are becoming quite popular here, but I would lay money on Kaitlin and Brendan being HUNDREDS of TIMES more common than Niamh in the US. I would ask those individuals who chastised Eden for her question to let me know when Navajo and Cree names become familiar in Aberdeen and Dublin.
that spoken Gaelic bears no resemblance to the spoken English with which it largely shares a written alphabet. Much like Navajo, for example, or many other native languages throughout the Americas. And we in the Americas do not expect people in the UK to know how to pronounce them. Yes, Gaelic-origin names are becoming quite popular here, but I would lay money on Kaitlin and Brendan being HUNDREDS of TIMES more common than Niamh in the US. I would ask those individuals who chastised Eden for her question to let me know when Navajo and Cree names become familiar in Aberdeen and Dublin.
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Correction: little_kit, sorry
posted the original question; my bad.
posted the original question; my bad.
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While there are Irish in America
they are concentrated in several areas, not all over; this is an extraordinarily rare name in the US. Besides, like so many other ethnic groups, some Irish choose names Americans recognize so their children can get along. I know tons of Mexican immigrants who speak NO English and name their kids Justin, Tiffany, Brianna and Brian for this reason, passing up Luis and Miguel. I believe few Americans would know how to pronounce Niamh. Only a die-hard American nomophile, or someone who knows the Irish community (and that is NOT every American), would know the Gaelic pronunciation.
they are concentrated in several areas, not all over; this is an extraordinarily rare name in the US. Besides, like so many other ethnic groups, some Irish choose names Americans recognize so their children can get along. I know tons of Mexican immigrants who speak NO English and name their kids Justin, Tiffany, Brianna and Brian for this reason, passing up Luis and Miguel. I believe few Americans would know how to pronounce Niamh. Only a die-hard American nomophile, or someone who knows the Irish community (and that is NOT every American), would know the Gaelic pronunciation.
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No one said "every American" or even most Americans know how to pronounce it. Just "most" people here on this board, because "most" of us are die-hard nomophiles! :b
~Heather~
~Heather~
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No one said "every American"
You're right, no one did. What Ylva wrote was that she thought "people in USA would know by now...or maybe you live in a small town with few Irish immigrants?" She didn't say "Americans posting on this board." I was pointing out that this is not a name that is known to many, or even some Americans; only a few: nomophiles, yes, and people who know the Irish community. There are lots of major cities in America w/out many Irish immigrants. One need not be isolated in a "small town" to be unfamiliar with this name. I have no idea where Ylva is or how much she knows about American demographics. I was letting her know.
And why was little_kit wrong to post her question on this board, as Eden clearly implied? And what is it with all the "long-timers" around here that people who don't post as often as you or for as long as you are given such cold shoulders so quickly? So touchy. I have been enjoying this board very, very much, several times a day for weeks, because I only just found it. I even thought I might have made a couple of friends here. I must have been confused. Excuse me for not being here when this board was started. Now I feel maybe I'm done with it. Thanks so much for all the camaraderie and warm fuzzies. You can have that tongue back too, thanks anyway.
You're right, no one did. What Ylva wrote was that she thought "people in USA would know by now...or maybe you live in a small town with few Irish immigrants?" She didn't say "Americans posting on this board." I was pointing out that this is not a name that is known to many, or even some Americans; only a few: nomophiles, yes, and people who know the Irish community. There are lots of major cities in America w/out many Irish immigrants. One need not be isolated in a "small town" to be unfamiliar with this name. I have no idea where Ylva is or how much she knows about American demographics. I was letting her know.
And why was little_kit wrong to post her question on this board, as Eden clearly implied? And what is it with all the "long-timers" around here that people who don't post as often as you or for as long as you are given such cold shoulders so quickly? So touchy. I have been enjoying this board very, very much, several times a day for weeks, because I only just found it. I even thought I might have made a couple of friends here. I must have been confused. Excuse me for not being here when this board was started. Now I feel maybe I'm done with it. Thanks so much for all the camaraderie and warm fuzzies. You can have that tongue back too, thanks anyway.
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What? Tongue?
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emoticon :b
is a tongue, no?
is a tongue, no?
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