Mangled Mispronunciations

[Jonathan_Loesberg]

@Mattstolz

At Total Wine a couple weeks ago they were tasting a wine named Bourgeoisie. pronounced boo-jer-oh-see-ay.

Where have all the Marxists gone, long time passing?

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@crickey

@Jorge Henriquez

Why do people (especially SoCalers) insist on pronouncing “Paso Robles” as “Pahsoh Roebuls”? The L is before the E, not after!!!

Probably because the word “nobles,” which is a relatively common word, is pronounced (using your spelling) “noebuls.” Most English words ending in “[-]bles” are pronounced “[-]buls” (bubbles, marbles, etc.).

But how would you pronounce noblesse oblige?

ROH-blays or ROH-buhlz: How do you say wine country?

I pronounce it Robuhls because everyone told me that was the correct pronunciation when I used to say Roh-blays. What do I know?

[Hal_Blumberg]

It just goes to show you that there are lots of Hacks out there

[Henry_Kiichli]

2006 Gutsverwaltung Niederhausen Schlossböckelheim Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese

2004er Weingutes KRONE Assmannshausen Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Weissherbst, Spätlese Natursüß

[Anton_D]

@Henry Kiichli

2006 Gutsverwaltung Niederhausen Schlossböckelheim Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese

2004er Weingutes KRONE Assmannshausen Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Weissherbst, Spätlese Natursüß

Niederhausen!

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Chateauneufy-doofy-poopy

[crickey]

@Jorge Henriquez

@crickey

@Jorge Henriquez

Why do people (especially SoCalers) insist on pronouncing “Paso Robles” as “Pahsoh Roebuls”? The L is before the E, not after!!!

Probably because the word “nobles,” which is a relatively common word, is pronounced (using your spelling) “noebuls.” Most English words ending in “[-]bles” are pronounced “[-]buls” (bubbles, marbles, etc.).

Fair point. But “robles” is spanish for “oak”. If someone makes an effort to pronounce a name in the native language, then the same effort should be applied to a non-english name even if the wine comes from the US. No?

Only if you know it is supposed to be a Spanish word. I can’t tell just by looking at it.

In honesty, I pronounce it like you say (or an American approximation of it), but as Jay pointed out subsequently, if locals pronounce it “Roe-buls,” I will defer to local custom.

Except when in England: I refuse to say “Don Quicks-Oat” tilted at a windmill.

[John_Morris]

@Jorge Henriquez

@crickey

@Jorge Henriquez

Why do people (especially SoCalers) insist on pronouncing “Paso Robles” as “Pahsoh Roebuls”? The L is before the E, not after!!!

Probably because the word “nobles,” which is a relatively common word, is pronounced (using your spelling) “noebuls.” Most English words ending in “[-]bles” are pronounced “[-]buls” (bubbles, marbles, etc.).

Fair point. But “robles” is spanish for “oak”. If someone makes an effort to pronounce a name in the native language, then the same effort should be applied to a non-english name even if the wine comes from the US. No?

There is a long tradition of mispronouncing proper names that come from other languages. My grandmother was born in Marseilles, Ohio, pronounced mahr-SAILS. It’s not far from Bellefontaine, pronounced bell-FOUN-tain.

Some English friends were in stitches when I pronounced Beaux Champs street in the French manner. I was informed that it’s pronounced Beechum by Londoners.

[Thomas_Keim]

Nothing beats “Foolish Pussy”

Anyone guess what that wine was?

[John_Morris]

Pouilly Fuisse.

[Henry_Kiichli]

@Thomas Keim

Nothing beats “Foolish Pussy”

Anyone guess what that wine was?

fuisse pouilly

[Jorge_Henriquez]

@Thomas Keim

Nothing beats “Foolish Pussy”

Anyone guess what that wine was?

My guess is a wine from a certain Charlottesville winery…but then I would gdet in trouble and the whole thread would get moved to another subforum…so I’ll say “Pouilly Fuisse”.

[Chris_Seiber]

California is a grab bag on pronouncing cities with Spanish names correctly or not.

On one hand, Los Angeles, Vallejo.

On the other hand, San Jose, San Joaquin.

I guess most are in the latter category when I think about it.

[John_Morris]

@Chris Seiber

California is a grab bag on pronouncing cities with Spanish names correctly or not.

On one hand, Los Angeles, Vallejo.

On the other hand, San Jose, San Joaquin.

I guess most are in the latter category when I think about it.

I don’t know much Spanish, but I thought Vallejo, San Jose and San Joaquin were pronounced pretty close to the Spanish. No?

[PeterH]

Vay-e-ho.
San is almost universally mispronounced by Anglos.

[John_Morris]

@PeterH

Vay-e-ho.

Ah! Of course.

@PeterH

San is almost universally mispronounced by Anglos.

If you’re going to get prissy about vowels, no foreigner ever pronounces a place name truly correctly.

[Jorge_Henriquez]

@Chris Seiber

California is a grab bag on pronouncing cities with Spanish names correctly or not.

On one hand, Los Angeles, Vallejo.

On the other hand, San Jose, San Joaquin.

I guess most are in the latter category when I think about it.

Todd is a master in espaneesh pronunciations of estreets and towns in Southern Caleeforneea.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

locals insist on (mis)pronouncing El Segundo as “ell suh-GUN-doh”.

[Jonathan_Loesberg]

@John Morris

Some English friends were in stitches when I pronounced Beaux Champs street in the French manner. I was informed that it’s pronounced Beechum by Londoners.

Well the English have their own indecipherable system of pronunciation. Cholmondeley is pronounce Chumley. Worcester is pronounced Wooster. And, of course, the proper name St. John is pronounced Sinjin. One could go on.

[Greg_K]

@John Morris

There is a long tradition of mispronouncing proper names that come from other languages. My grandmother was born in Marseilles, Ohio, pronounced mahr-SAILS. It’s not far from Bellefontaine, pronounced bell-FOUN-tain.

I went to undergrad with a few people from, as they called it, Ver-SAILS Ohio. A couple had French last names - took me a minute to realize what their cultural heritage was…at which point they got very confused.