Famous names you can't pronounce right for the life of you

[joebuck20]

I always thought Hermes was pronounced Her-mees like the character on Futurama.

[BigT]

@Chefguy

The actual pronunciation would be considered “furrin” by most Murkins. Since we’re a lazy lot, we say Farv instead of what was probably the original pronunciation of “Fahv”. Sort of like “Loover” instead of Louvre.

I’ve never heard any English speaking person pronounce the re or le at the end of French words. Louvre is Loov. Miserables is mizzerAB (or mizzerOB). (Favre is more like hors d’oeuvres. where the /r/ gets transplaced.)

[BigT]

@joebuck20

I always thought Hermes was pronounced Her-mees like the character on Futurama.

Um, who do you know for whom it is nor pronounced that way? The Greek god is pronounced exactly that way, at least in English. (Ancient Greek seems to be more like hair-MACE [PDF])

[pulykamell]

@BigT

Um, who do you know for whom it is nor pronounced that way?

I was wondering that myself when I read the post, but I thought perhaps the poster was talking about the subtle distinction between the voiced or unvoiced “s” at the end. The Futurama character is “her-meese” while the god is usually “her-meeze.”

[Beware_of_Doug]

David Gelernter, compu-guru, author, and social critic. His last name is of German/Yiddish origin, means “learnèd” (appropriately enough), and would presumably be pronounced Ge-lairn-ter (at least in German). I can’t stop calling him “Ge-lert-ner.”

[Number]

@scifisam2009

This site is really useful for the pronunciation of famous people’s names.

Thanks for linking to this. I’m sure it will prove handy. I do notice a discrepancy in it, though:

Buscemi, Steve (boo-SHEM-ē)

This is the way it’s pronounced by just about everyone except Mr. Buscemi himself. Per this NPR interview, he explains that he’s always said it with an “s” sound, not “sh”.

Apparently he’s not offended by people saying it the other way.

[freckafree]

@pulykamell

I was wondering that myself when I read the post, but I thought perhaps the poster was talking about the subtle distinction between the voiced or unvoiced “s” at the end. The Futurama character is “her-meese” while the god is usually “her-meeze.”

The French designer Hermes (scarves, purses, perfume) is pronounced, AFAIK, “air-MEZZ.” The Greek god is pronounced “HER-meez.”

And, speaking of designers, when I was a teenager in WV, the must-have purse, shoes, etc., were of the brand AG-ner. Who’s this here on-YAY you keep talkin’ about?

[Maiira]

Cary Elwes. I’d been pronouncing it “EL-wehz,” but now I hear it’s actually something different? I dunno.

And it took me a bit to find out that Ewan McGregor was “YOO-un” and not “EE-wahn.”

[joebuck20]

@freckafree

The French designer Hermes (scarves, purses, perfume) is pronounced, AFAIK, “air-MEZZ.” The Greek god is pronounced “HER-meez.”

And, speaking of designers, when I was a teenager in WV, the must-have purse, shoes, etc., were of the brand AG-ner. Who’s this here on-YAY you keep talkin’ about?

That’s what I was referring to, the designer not the Greek god.

[cochrane]

@Chefguy

The actual pronunciation would be considered “furrin” by most Murkins. Since we’re a lazy lot, we say Farv instead of what was probably the original pronunciation of “Fahv”. Sort of like “Loover” instead of Louvre.

I was actually referencing a joke I heard from some comedian (I can’t remember who), making fun of the stereotype that people from Mississippi, and the Gulf region in general, are dumb. So, Favre is too dumb to spell his own name. Like people make fun of Terry Bradshaw, who is from Louisiana. Hollywood Henderson once said of Bradshaw, “He couldn’t spell ‘cat’ if you spotted him the ‘C’ and the ‘A’.”

[MeanOldLady]

@freckafree

I knew someone who’s first name was Nguyen, and she pronounced it “Win.”

ETA: That’s how she introduced herself. Maybe “Win” was the closest she thought we could come.

I’ve always pronounces it “nuhwen,” kind of blended into one and a half syllables. I’ve pronounced the surname Huynh like “win.”

[Drain_Bead]

@Jack_Batty

Good to know. I’ve been saying ‘pal-a-NEE-uk.’

I’ve been saying puh-LAWN-uk.

[corkboard]

@pulykamell

Presumably, being born Dutch, Dutch people would know how to pronounce it their way (yes, it’s a Latin or Greek name) without much explanation. His birthname was Jheronimus van Aken. Accurately describing most any foreign pronunciation to an English speaker is going to take a good bit of explaining if you want to be as accurate as possible.

Nah, that’s no excuse.

[WOOKINPANUB]

@Drain_Bead

I’ve been saying puh-LAWN-uk.

I know it’s not correct but I always say it in my mind “PULL-na-check” like the character in “The Facts of Life”. Thank goodness I’ve never had occasion to say it out loud.

How about Me’shell Ndegeocello?

[smaje1]

@Gyrate

I assume that’s the guy I came in to mention: Chiwitel Ejiofor. I’d pay money to watch him read the phonebook but have no idea which syllables to stress in his name.

I believe his name is pronouced Chuh-WET-ill EH-gee-oh-for.

[matt_mcl]

Mine is Kim Basinger.

Also, one sign you’ve been a New Democrat too long is when you can correctly both pronounce and spell Judy Wasylycia-Leis.

[kidneyfailure]

@WOOKINPANUB

How about Me’shell Ndegeocello?

Heard somebody say it on TV once back in the day as “Michelle En-deh-gee (hard G sound)-oh-cello.”

[Gyrate]

@smaje1

I believe his name is pronouced Chuh-WET-ill EH-gee-oh-for.

Thanks - I was in the right ballpark, anyway. And it’s certainly closer than “Chewbacca Elephant”.