Comments on: How Do You Pronounce “Mozart”? http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:06:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: venqax http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/comment-page-1/#comment-394883 venqax Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:21:38 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2725#comment-394883 "names should be pronounced exactly like the person’s parents intented to." Ridiculous. As said above, stick-to, "WITHIN the confines of English. Don’t try to make sounds that English simply doesn’t have." Forget the ch of loch and Bach, or the nasal N of French, or the thousands of exotic vowels that fill the non-Anglophonic world. Say MOATS-ART. That's fine (it's a TS, not a TZ, by the way). And if there is a long established exonym for someone, as is the case with many historical figures, use them. Saying Confucius is FINE. Likewise Jesus, Moses, all the other biblical names. Mark Anthony, MONTEZOOMA, Frederick the Great, JOOlius SEEzur, etc. etc. Stop being so self-concious about foreignisms and try pronouncing your own English language right for a change (as this post describes). “names should be pronounced exactly like the person’s parents intented to.”

Ridiculous. As said above, stick-to, “WITHIN the confines of English. Don’t try to make sounds that English simply doesn’t have.” Forget the ch of loch and Bach, or the nasal N of French, or the thousands of exotic vowels that fill the non-Anglophonic world. Say MOATS-ART. That’s fine (it’s a TS, not a TZ, by the way). And if there is a long established exonym for someone, as is the case with many historical figures, use them. Saying Confucius is FINE. Likewise Jesus, Moses, all the other biblical names. Mark Anthony, MONTEZOOMA, Frederick the Great, JOOlius SEEzur, etc. etc. Stop being so self-concious about foreignisms and try pronouncing your own English language right for a change (as this post describes).

]]> By: T.Vilaça http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/comment-page-1/#comment-261623 T.Vilaça Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:56:19 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2725#comment-261623 What a polemical topic ! I agree with those who said the names should be pronounced exactly like the person's parents intented to. From German to English it shouldn't be so difficult. In German the 'Z' is pronounced 'TZ'. That's all. As in 'Zeitgeist'. I see no problem in using foreign words/expressions and depending on how important the term is to the culture, I see no problem in trying to pronounce it as close to the orginal as we could. Have you guys seen 'Gone with the wind'? If so, you know what's a 'beau' and how to say it, don't you? What a polemical topic !

I agree with those who said the names should be pronounced exactly like the person’s parents intented to.

From German to English it shouldn’t be so difficult.

In German the ‘Z’ is pronounced ‘TZ’. That’s all.
As in ‘Zeitgeist’.

I see no problem in using foreign words/expressions and depending on how important the term is to the culture, I see no problem in trying to pronounce it as close to the orginal as we could.

Have you guys seen ‘Gone with the wind’? If so, you know what’s a ‘beau’ and how to say it, don’t you?

]]> By: umber http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/comment-page-1/#comment-254777 umber Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:01:45 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2725#comment-254777 I think this is all unnecessary. When pronouncing foreign names (words are a bit different) pronounce them as closely as possible to the way the natives do WITHIN the confines of English. Don't try to make sounds that English simply doesn't have. So, say "Bay-toh-ven" (which is Dutch, BTW, not German). Say "Bock" (the German a is closer to an English o like in block, which is a perfectly normal English sound, so don't say "Batch"). But the ch sound at the end doesn't exist in English, so don't try it. Ck is close enough. Likewise say Moat-sart. The z is like an s. Easy enough. Just like we say peet-sa, which approximates the Italian without sounding silly. Van Go is actually closer to Dutch than van Gock would be. But tradition and LONG history often create exonyms. In our case, that is English names for non-English names. That's ok, too. So it's fine to say Jeezus, not Yaysus, which is from Greek anyway, or Yayshoo, or whatever it would be. You don't have to say Yoolius Saezar (or however someone guesses it would be pronounced in Latin). You aren't speaking Latin. Likewise, Confucius (no, that's not his Chinese name, but I don't speak Chinese) or EYE-v'n the Terrible-- the murderous czar, not ee-VAN the Terrible who sounds like someone's mean aunt. I think this is all unnecessary. When pronouncing foreign names (words are a bit different) pronounce them as closely as possible to the way the natives do WITHIN the confines of English. Don’t try to make sounds that English simply doesn’t have. So, say “Bay-toh-ven” (which is Dutch, BTW, not German). Say “Bock” (the German a is closer to an English o like in block, which is a perfectly normal English sound, so don’t say “Batch”). But the ch sound at the end doesn’t exist in English, so don’t try it. Ck is close enough. Likewise say Moat-sart. The z is like an s. Easy enough. Just like we say peet-sa, which approximates the Italian without sounding silly. Van Go is actually closer to Dutch than van Gock would be.
But tradition and LONG history often create exonyms. In our case, that is English names for non-English names. That’s ok, too. So it’s fine to say Jeezus, not Yaysus, which is from Greek anyway, or Yayshoo, or whatever it would be. You don’t have to say Yoolius Saezar (or however someone guesses it would be pronounced in Latin). You aren’t speaking Latin. Likewise, Confucius (no, that’s not his Chinese name, but I don’t speak Chinese) or EYE-v’n the Terrible– the murderous czar, not ee-VAN the Terrible who sounds like someone’s mean aunt.

]]> By: David Hopcroft http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/comment-page-1/#comment-170821 David Hopcroft Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:02:45 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2725#comment-170821 Johann Strauss => Yo-Harn Sh-tr-ow-ss How about Leonhard Euler (Famous Swiss Mathematician) Ley-on-heart Oiler The Surname is usually pronounced on English You-ler. or as my German teacher used to say that's the English way of saying it, "how Quaint". Johann Strauss => Yo-Harn Sh-tr-ow-ss

How about Leonhard Euler (Famous Swiss Mathematician)

Ley-on-heart Oiler

The Surname is usually pronounced on English You-ler. or as my German teacher used to say that’s the English way of saying it, “how Quaint”.

]]> By: Alex http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-do-you-pronounce-mozart/comment-page-1/#comment-170723 Alex Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:00:36 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=2725#comment-170723 How do you guys pronounce Johann Strauss then? lol How do you guys pronounce Johann Strauss then?
lol

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