# More non-English pronunciation: Brno **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349 "2004-06-02T23:36:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/1 "2004-06-02T23:36:38Z")
While I’m thinking about it, there is another Non-English name that seems to be unpronounceable due to a lack of vowels. Brno is a Czech city, also a moderately famous brand of firearms. But how is the name actually pronounced? Since it’s Czech I’m assuming it will be nothing like the way it’s written. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/2 "2004-06-02T23:58:47Z")
In the motor racing world (it’s on the MotoGP circuit) they seem to pronouce it 'Burno". ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/3 "2004-06-03T00:01:15Z")
[This](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?ggbrno01.wav=Brno) site agrees. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/4 "2004-06-03T00:06:48Z")
Except that site is how a typical American pronounces it. Czech is notoriously hard for non-native speakers, but IIRC _Brno_ has a slight roll on the r, and a slight emphasis on the second syllable - something like “brr-_no_” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/5 "2004-06-03T00:19:02Z")
Yeah, I suppose it depends on whether the OP wants to pronounce it Czech-correctly or English-not-looking-too-much-like-a-fool-correctly. The M-W site gives the accepted english pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/6 "2004-06-03T00:23:47Z")
Anyway, four letters is hardly a challenge. Try some Czech tongue-twisters: [http://www.locallingo.com/countries/czech\_republic/language/lessons/twisters.html](http://www.locallingo.com/countries/czech_republic/language/lessons/twisters.html) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/7 "2004-06-03T00:40:56Z")
Yh mn, vwls r fr wmps nywy.\* \*Yeah Man, vowels are for wimps anyway. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/8 "2004-06-03T00:46:14Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > Yh mn, vwls r fr wmps nywy. Strangly, that looks like Welsh 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/9 "2004-06-03T00:48:41Z")
There’s also the Croatian island off the Dalmatian coast called “Krk.” In both “Brno” and “Krk,” the “r” acts as a (semi)vowel. The “r” is slightly rolled, kinda like flicking the tip of your tongue against the front of your palatte. “Burno” and “Kurk” are close enough for English speakers, but the vowel is not as pronounced, and the “r” is different than in English. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-non-english-pronunciation-brno/248349/10 "2004-06-03T04:14:47Z")
Thanks y’all.