 Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, sNickB, should we pronounce as the locals do or according to French 'received pronunciation' (which i bet they have, given the fuss they make about their language, and quite right too)? When we've sorted that, we can consider whether the 'correct ' pronunciation of 'Newcastle' is 'Newcassle', stress on the 'cass', as favoured by the natives or 'Newcarsul' emphasis on the 'New', favoured by users of received pronunciation.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've always been stuck with La Thiule - a French name, but in Italy. Anyone know how it's meant to be said?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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iblair, I'd have thought it would be the French way - like Courmayeur. It wouldn't surprise me if the area had been French for quite a while sometime in the past - boundaries do keep changing, that's why Alsace has so many German place names (even if some of the spellings have been made more French these days).
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brian
brian
Guest
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Piedmont (the NW of Italy) was part of Savoie for a long time and then both were ruled from Sardinia. Savoie was incorporated into France in 1860 (allegedly according to a Savoyard website I was reading not long ago against the wishes of the people who would've preferred independence or joining the Swiss confederation).
I think the Aosta or Val d'Aoste still has a population of French speakers.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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La Thuile, Courmayeur, Val de Tournenche, Sauze d'Oulx are all French, as till recently the people of the Val d'Aoste (and thereabouts) spoke only French - much to Mussolini's disgust, thus he renamed Breuil Cervinia. Breuil is still understood though.
Now, the other side of the Italian Alps....... (they all speak German)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Reminds me of the Avori-AZZ vs Avory-Ah debate.
Something just doesn't come out right when the English slip in French pronunciation of place names, but have painfully standard English diction on all English words.
Like the chap in this video: http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0675-snow-report-6th-jan-200
You tend to sort of go "Wha??? Where did he just say? Oh! Right, he's using the French pronunciation. Doh!".
If I'm talking to a French taxi driver I'll use the French pronunciation, but an English audience? Definitely English every time.
It's spelt Reims, but:
In English it's pronounced "REEMS"
In French it's pronounced "Rrance" - with a silent 'n' and only the merest thought of an 'm', and rhyming with pants.
Probably also varies across France.
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| Quote: |
petemillis
snowHead
Posts: 187
Location: BrightonMegamum, Quote:
is it pronounced Peeste (as in green vegetable peas) or pist as in Fist?
Neither. it's pronounced "i t" with the "i" and the "t" both being short sharp sounds.
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petemillis, It's great to see that some people don't disappoint - I was wondering who would be the first to get there. I bet you were one of the kids who ran round saying 'Constantinople is a very long word how do you spell IT' 
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| richmond wrote: |
| should we pronounce as the locals do or according to French 'received pronunciation' (which i bet they have, given the fuss they make about their language, and quite right too)? When we've sorted that, we can consider whether the 'correct ' pronunciation of 'Newcastle' is 'Newcassle', stress on the 'cass', as favoured by the natives or 'Newcarsul' emphasis on the 'New', favoured by users of received pronunciation. |
Exactly. I hail from Gloucester; which I pronounce as 'Glosster', but the dyed-in-the-wool locals in the Shed at Kingsholm call it 'Glarster'. Bristol was mentioned above in a similar vein.
I'll carry on calling it Val 'Torron' whatever the locals call it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| pam w wrote: |
| How about Val Thorens? Torrawnce?? |
Val Thorens: fVhal toh-rhanzse
Verbier:fheh-bee-eh
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davidof, you wouldn't by any chance happen to be the chap that does those excellent PisteHors weather reports would you?
Do you pronounce the French place names in French because you're French, and there's no goddam way you'll do them the insult of using the anglicised pronunciation, or is it because although you're English you're not going to take pains to avoid revealing a hard earned, perfect Savoyarde accent (despite confusing the English philistines back home)?
Incidentally, those weather reports really are jolly good. I look forward to the next one.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davidof, Thanks. At last, horse's mouth. I knew the way that English people who think they can pronounce French dropped the "s" was wrong. It's not a case of local French versus Parisian French, the Parisians don't pronounce the s either. It's something to do with the origins in somebody's name, but can't remember the story. One of the interesting differences is the X at the end of Chamonix. Some say it, some don't, and I don't know the reasons or the difference.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Shall we move on to St Moritz?
I say (on the rare occasions I need to) 'Saint Moritz', pronounced as if the words were English, emphasis on the 'Mor'. I'm pretty sure that's not how the locals say it, but seems to be how it's said here. I wouldn't pronounce, for example, Ste Foy in that way, but St Moritz seems to get special treatment, in the same way that Paris does.
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I say "San Moritz" but I haven't a clue if it's any sense "right".
What about Saas Fee? I'm tempted by "Sarce Fay" but have even less of a clue.
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