As discussed in this thread.
When you attempt to speak the name out loud, what is the pronunciation that most easily finds its way to your lips?
Van Go. I know that’s a totally flat American pronunciation, but I would feel silly and affected trying to pronounce it as the artist himself would have. When my (German) husband said the name to me for the first time, I actually didn’t understand him for a moment because he said it so differently from the way I was used to hearing it.
I pronounce it “Van Goch” with the ch rolled like the scottish “loch” - but that’s my inner Afrikaaner coming through…
In the U.S. it is pronounced Van Go. When I went to school in Scotland, I didn’t quite know what to do with the pronounciation Van Goch (rhymes with loch) which was used by a lot of students from a lot of nationalities there. I tried it back home and felt like a supercilious twit.
Koreans pronounce it Go-heu, sort of. I just say Go, the American way.
Van Goff. I would feel like a total arse saying “Vahn Hoccch” or whatever.
People from around here (the Balkans) pronounce it “Van Gogg” so I pronounce it like everyone else not to sound like a pretentious ass. But I “accidentally” voted “Ven Hokh” because at first I thought the poll wanted to know the correct Dutch pronounciation. I’m slow today.
That’s how I say it, too. Of course, as a Hebrew speaker, it isn’t that hard for me.
Van Goff for me. It’s close enough to the correct translation (slightly anglicised) without being totally different like the American “Van Go”.
I’d never heard anyone say the American version till I was about 20 or so and someone said it on a US TV show. I was amazed to realise that an entire country pronounced it completely differently!
Dammit, another poll where I agree with the majority.
You know what he said when his girlfriend told him she realized how passionate his love was when he cut off his ear?
Van Go. I know it’s not right, but I feel silly saying it any other way.
Other: to be exact, like the native Dutch (lived there for 12 years): Van Choch (both pronounced like the ch in “loch”).
So, to the uninitiated, basically like saying the word “van” and then clearing your throat?
:smack: I can’t get my voice back there…
Van Goch
But I lived in A’dam for a while so know that the accurate Dutch way is ~Ven Hokh but say with a Dutch accent.
I’m a Brit and I always say Van Goff. Most people I know would also say it that way.
Brit - I used to say Van Goff until I worked with a Dutchy and asked him how to pronounce it. Now I say Ven Hokh even though I know it sounds pretentious.
I remember when I said the name Milhaud to my French conducting teacher. He laughed out loud at my American pronunciation, which sounded pretty much like Milhouse.
I used to say Goff, but I asked a Dutch person and was told that it’s Goch (like Loch). So Goch it is.
Oddly enough, Van Go for the painter, Van Goff for the filmmaker.