Pronunciation of "Gotham"

A trivia matter of the most trivial triviality – but: how is this name generally pronounced, or are there more than one rival renderings?

In my understanding, the original Gotham was – and is – a village in England, some 8 / 9 miles south-west of Nottingham. Renowned in whimsical English folklore for being allegedly inhabited by utterly stupid people, called “the wise men of Gotham” because wise is what they most emphatically were not. Centuries onward, New York City was for a while humorously called “Gotham City”, because of its denizens’ reputation as “wise guys” (quick / sharp / adroit / witty). Gotham City later became the Batman universe’s version of the real-world New York.

The few times I have ever heard the word Gotham said (I basically don’t “do” films / television), it was “Goe-tham” (first syllable, as in to go somewhere; second syllable, soft “th” as in “thank”, and syllable rhyming with “slam”). In recent conversations with friends here in the UK, they ridiculed my pronunciation of the name, and said that it had to be “Goth-am” (first syllable like the ancient tribe, or the teenage fad for dressing in black and looking gloomy; second, as above, to rhyme with “slam”). My asking why, was met only with – "well, it’s obvious: it’s got to be ‘Goth-am’ ". Friends concerned, turned out to be oblivious to “things Batman”, when I tried to introduce that aspect.

People in America – please, how do you pronounce “Gotham” – whether in the Batman context, or re New York City’s one-time nickname?

Gotham. Like your second example. First syllable rhymes with moth.

Like your second example. Never heard it differently. Cite: the batman TV shows and movies.

GAH-thum. Or GAH-th’m.

Wait – so it’s not “Got Ham”? :smack:

:wink:

To me it doesn’t quite rhyme with “moth”: it’s more of an “ah” sound where “moth” has more of an “aw” sound.

I’ve never heard it said with the first syllable pronounced as “go” (and that’s certainly not the Batman pronunciation). I definitely only remember hearing it pronounced as first syllable “Goth” (with the soft “th”), second syllable “am,” but I would have pronounced that second vowel sound as a schwa.

ETA: I’m not sure whether the “th” sound belongs with the first syllable or the second.

In my Canuck accent they’re identical (aw).

This. Really the second more than the first.

Which would also mesh well with what I expect the British pronunciation of their village is.

e.g. As I understand it, Brits pronounce Nottingham as roughly NOT-Ing-'m. If so, then they’d probably pronounce Gotham as GOTH-'m.

These are the ways I’ve heard it pronounced, and I prefer the less stressed second syllable way.

[Tangent]

Have any of you seen Gotham (1988)? I keep hoping to see it again. Fun noir sort of thing.

Carry on.
[/Tangent]

Sorry if I’m being dense: but (my main cause of perplexity), do you mean “Goath [rhyming with ‘both’]”, or “Goth [rhyming with ‘froth’]”, -'m ?

Same here, but this varies by dialect. In dialects with the cot/caught merger, there is no distinction between what you are calling the “ah” and “aw” sounds (and, hence, “cot” and “caught” are pronounced the same way. My dialect maintains a distinction between these two sounds.)

My only personal experience is with US pronunciation. Which, *pace *pullykamell, is itself not universally consistent.

With that caveat, the only way I’ve every heard any American pronounce it in person or via the public media is “goth” with a short “ah” sound. It definitely is NOT “goath” like both or oath.

To me it also doesn’t rhyme with froth (or moth). Froth is more of a “frawth” sound whereas goth is more of a “gahth” sound. Similar to the first part of bother or father.
I’m not claiming any linguistic expertise here, just relaying my personal experience FWIW.

It’s pronounced the way William Dozier said it on “Batman”, and that’s all there is to it.

The village in the UK (which I live about 5 miles from) is pronounced GOAT-um, no “h”. The Batman city is pronounced GOTH-um, even by people from round here. The name of the village did originally refer to goats being kept there.

Seeing buses that go to Gotham is still slightly amusing, even though I’ve lived here for 20 years.

Thanks – so it seems I’ve been all-round wrong. Ignorance fought !

Brother and father rhyme now?

These things in writing crack me the hell up. :smiley:

If you’d bother to read that quoted bit again… :wink:

Those Hormel commercials with the bacon fat on the lips did not go over well.

:smack:

Got it.

This. Having lived in NYC for 25 years, I heard it more times than most people. I NEVER heard any other pronunciation.