chicfille Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Another one to avoid for the channel hoppers is Yves. A French boy I know of went to live in England with his family and was ok at school until he corrected their pronounciation from Eves to Eve. Then he was teased mercilessly for having a girl's name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Last year we found a home for an Irish setter we had called Murphy (not Paddy!) with a little 82 year old Frenchman.This lovely little man has just sent me a note giving me news of "Murphé". I think that is so cute.Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail17 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi Really enjoying reading through this thread, but does anyone have any ideas about Gail and Ian? When we introduced ourselves to our neighbours they were did seem to struggle a little saying our names, we didn't mention the spellings at the time, would that have confused them even more? Hoping for any replies. Gail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
françoise Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 [quote]What an egotist I am!!!! I hear all these beautiful sounding French names and I think that my name is going to sound awful pronounced in French. My husbands name is Richard and I know it comes out l...[/quote] I just want to add a French point of view as I'm a French woman...For me Lynda and Linda are the same, and in Southern France we pronounce it "Linda" and not "Leeenda" because most people know that it's a Spanish name (it means "beautiful").Perhaps in Northern France you had another pronounciationbut in my opinion it's not a name which can be bad pronounced...Fanou (from the Pyrenees) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Gail17 wrote "Really enjoying reading through this thread, but does anyone have any ideas about Gail and Ian"Not sure about Gail but my Ian gets called Yann. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrewjspencer Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 this certainly is a good topic.My wife, Anne being french is called "Anne" - less emphasis on the "A" in french but otherwise much the same.Our daughter is called Beth - the "th" causes untold problems for the french tongue. "Bet" is usually the closest that Normands can manage altho' a few Parisiens have nearly got the "th".When I am refered to as Andy then it usally comes out as "Ondee". Andrew usually comes out as "On Drew" - I quite like them both - at least I don't get called "And" in france! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Oh dear, Beth is really kind of unfortunate in France isn't it. Gaelle is the French equivalent of Gail, and it is pronouced Gay elle, so I suppose they would say it like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfrog Posted June 12, 2005 Share Posted June 12, 2005 I have no problems with my name - Mary is Marie, and I've answered to that all my life! Brian, on the other hand, is a little more difficult...Brian doesn't seem to exist in french. If you pronounce the word (as it's spelt) in a french fashion it ends up as "brilliant" in translation back to English, which pleases him no end but I haven't found any real alternative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutts Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 We're another Leendaa and Reechard, but MOH is commonly referred to as Rick - Reech? Our surname is about the most common you can get - probably pronounced Oones in France, but what will get confusing is explaining my surname was Oones before getting married to an Oones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deby Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Our surname is about the most common you can get - probably pronounced Oones in France, but what will get confusing is explaining my surname was Oones before getting married to an OonesCall me daft but I havent figured out what your family name is, I have tried several pronounciations and come up with Unes, which does not sound a very common English name. Maybe I havent lived in the UK for a whileDeby (17 Charente Maritime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benson Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 My daughter is called Amiée. The french called her Am-e-ay untill we told them in England it is pronounced Amy now they call her Hay-may so much for not being able to pronounce H!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 [quote]I have no problems with my name - Mary is Marie, and I've answered to that all my life! Brian, on the other hand, is a little more difficult...Brian doesn't seem to exist in french. If you pronounce t...[/quote]In French school I'm called bri-anne, with equal emphasis on both parts, works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 ................my youngest son, Toby, doesn't mind when his name is pronounced Toe-bee, it's when they call him by his full name that he is not so keen (Toe-bee-ar*e) !!!Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P> Posted June 13, 2005 Share Posted June 13, 2005 Just deem yrselves lucky that no one here is called 'Gambit' (remember Steed's sidekick in the Avengers ?), that caused a few 'gloussements' (chortles/chuckles) in France at the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Brian doesn't seem to exist in french. I have a Bryan in class at the moment, but he's the first I've ever met. It seems to be pronounced Bri- yannMost french names are pronounced with the stress on the last syllable, which can change the sound a lot. When naming our kids , we had to be careful not to use names which caused too many difficulties for French people (I had wanted Ruth, but that's out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perlats Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 My son, Miles, always comes off worst in this respect in our family. People usually call him something that sounds like "mice" spoken very rapidly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 [quote]Just deem yrselves lucky that no one here is called 'Gambit' (remember Steed's sidekick in the Avengers ?), that caused a few 'gloussements' (chortles/chuckles) in France at the time...[/quote]For the benefit of English speakers not quite understanding the 'gloussements' caused by Gambit of "Chapeau Melon et Bottes de Cuir" It is pronounced in France Gan-bet' (Gan sort of nasal sound as in en-suite) Gambette in French is a slang/coloquial word for nice legs.But then maybe the French had the last laugh on that one as all of Steed's sidekicks were of shapely legs!! Sorry for the double-entendre!Don't you think blokes?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P> Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Oh, God, no ! not quite 'touché' Missyesbut, the 'Gambit' explanation is far more ribald and prurient than that ! Think carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewa Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Hey - all of you count your lucky stars... how would you pronounce my name: Ewa??? As it's Polish, the nearest English pronounciation is Ever (which still isn't perfect). What do you think I'll get in France? My OH is okay - Steven becomes Stefan I suppose, which is similar to other continental languages and he's used to by parents mis-pronouncing it.EwaDevon & 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicfille Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Ewa is likely to be Eva (with a short 'e', so will sound like the English 'ever'). How is it pronounced in Polish?Steven is more likely to be pronounced Steevenn rather than Stéphane, as Steven has now been adopted by the French - think Steven Spielberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewa Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Thanks Chicfille! In Polish Ewa is pronounced Evah (with the short 'e' to start as in the first e in ever). I have trouble in the UK, so presume the French will make it sound nicer than the English (Eewah is the usual!!!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now