How Do You Pronounce ____________? (1 Viewer)

[Andy Adcock]

GILL eh mott

Not that I've seen too many anywhere

Gill E mott

 

[qwerty5]

Actually I wrote it wrong, I typically say it as proe-THO-nu-tary (Rather than noe-tary). Merriam-Webster has two different pronunciations of it, one being as I described and the other "proe-thu-NOE-tary".
Apparently prothonataries were some sort of Roman Catholic officials who wore bright robes, hence why it's Prothonotary Warbler.

 

[raymie]

How do you say coquette? I assume it's "koh-KETTE"?

 

[Farnboro John]

Actually I wrote it wrong, I typically say it as proe-THO-nu-tary (Rather than noe-tary). Merriam-Webster has two different pronunciations of it, one being as I described and the other "proe-thu-NOE-tary".
Apparently prothonataries were some sort of Roman Catholic officials who wore bright robes, hence why it's Prothonotary Warbler.

A bit like "cardinal" - maybe there's a potential offensiveness inherent in each, somebody should look at it pronto, can't have bird names that would shock anyone!

As far as pronunciation is concerned, I suppose the roots are "proto" and "notary" - some sort of Catholic secretary or recorder - which supports PROE-tho-noe-tary. Call me a heretic but I don't suppose it really matters.

John

 

[James Lowther]

How do you say coquette? I assume it's "koh-KETTE"?

I would agree, it’s a word with a wider use in the English language, and that’s how it is pronounced in that context too. Fairly sure that’s how it would be pronounced in its original French too (more or less). So hopefully this is a non-controversial one ( cue someone telling me that everyone they know pronounces it So-kweety)
Cheers
James

 

[angusmcoatup]

For whatever reason, when I first started birding I pronounced Scoter as Scooter.

Oddly so did I.

 

[Farnboro John]

Oddly so did I.

I've heard "scotter", as well.

John

 

[opisska]

A name like Prothonotary looks Latin to me and I read Latin words using Czech rules, because Czech writing system is derived from Latin. I know that it's technically wrong because back when Latin was an actual spoken language it actually wasn't read like that - but now that Latin does not really exists in daily communication, who gets to decide how should it sound like?

As for scoter, do I understand the discussion correctly that the correct sound is "ou"? I have never said that aloud in my life, always with an "o" sound (as in pot).

 

[Farnboro John]

A name like Prothonotary looks Latin to me and I read Latin words using Czech rules, because Czech writing system is derived from Latin. I know that it's technically wrong because back when Latin was an actual spoken language it actually wasn't read like that - but now that Latin does not really exists in daily communication, who gets to decide how should it sound like?

As for scoter, do I understand the discussion correctly that the correct sound is "ou"? I have never said that aloud in my life, always with an "o" sound (as in pot).

No, it's "oh" (oe?) (as in "no").

Cheers

John

 

[opisska]

My bad, I meant that, didn't know how to indicate it properly.

 

[Sangahyando]

A name like Prothonotary looks Latin to me and I read Latin words using Czech rules, because Czech writing system is derived from Latin. I know that it's technically wrong because back when Latin was an actual spoken language it actually wasn't read like that - but now that Latin does not really exists in daily communication, who gets to decide how should it sound like?

It's still part of an official English bird name, though, so the American pronunciation would be the technically correct one. As for the original Latin, there are several "correct" ways to pronounce words, depending on which iteration of Latin you decide on using.

I would agree, it’s a word with a wider use in the English language, and that’s how it is pronounced in that context too. Fairly sure that’s how it would be pronounced in its original French too (more or less). So hopefully this is a non-controversial one ( cue someone telling me that everyone they know pronounces it So-kweety)
Cheers
James

IMO "kokét" (or "kokétt", to make sure people don't forget about the t at the end) would be the most accurate way of transcribing it, short of using IPA.

 

[Andy Adcock]

How do you say coquette? I assume it's "koh-KETTE"?

Personally it's cock-et

 

[Andy Adcock]

No, it's "oh" (oe?) (as in "no").

Cheers

John

As I understand the unwritten rule, unless there's a double letter, it's a longer sounding 'oh', like 'go' so Scohter, if the word had two 't's', that would change the sound to a shorter, harsher 'o' as in off.

 

[dalat]

Nice thread! Reassuring that native English speakers have troubles too finding the right pronounciation...

I heard Arakari and Jakana from bird guides in Latin America and Africa, so never really trusted my feeling that ç should be ss. Until I looked up German bird names and found that it is "Arassari" in German.

Now one bird name I never dared to say out loud in front of others is Capercaillie. So how do you say it?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Nice thread! Reassuring that native English speakers have troubles too finding the right pronounciation...

I heard Arakari and Jakana from bird guides in Latin America and Africa, so never really trusted my feeling that ç should be ss. Until I looked up German bird names and found that it is "Arassari" in German.

Now one bird name I never dared to say out loud in front of others is Capercaillie. So how do you say it?

Kapp-er-kaley

 

[dalat]

Thanks! Others do concur? It looks like a French word, that's what is confusing me. But the French name is very different (Tétras), so I guess that name isn't really derived from French?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Thanks! Others do concur? It looks like a French word, that's what is confusing me. But the French name is very different (Tétras), so I guess that name isn't really derived from French?

Probably Gaelic or a Scottish colloquialism?

 

[Xenospiza]

Thanks! Others do concur? It looks like a French word, that's what is confusing me. But the French name is very different (Tétras), so I guess that name isn't really derived from French?

From Gaelic "capall coille", meaning horse of the woods.

 

[Andy Adcock]

From Gaelic "capall coille", meaning horse of the woods.

Good guess then!

 

[Farnboro John]

Thanks! Others do concur? It looks like a French word, that's what is confusing me. But the French name is very different (Tétras), so I guess that name isn't really derived from French?

Mostly: you get some who say cayper-caylie but I think the majority say capper-.

John