# pronunciation of Samhain

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 28, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314 "2005-10-28T14:33:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314/21 "2005-10-30T11:42:42Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> My aunt who had the name Seosamh pronounced it “Tina Mae”.

An aunt called JOSEPH? (for that is what it is). How odd.

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**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314/22 "2005-10-30T11:57:37Z")

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Hah!  
One of my ex-boyfriends was called Eoghan Ó Súilleabháin- and he insisted on the proper Irish pronunciation of his surname. Og help you if you said “O’Sullivan”. His first name is the old Irish spelling of Owen, the new Irish spelling Eoin is more common though.

Some Irish is pretty much unpronouncable to someone without Irish as a first language. Caoilte is one of those names that signifies the family are BIGTIME Irish speakers, because the nearest most people can get is “KWEEL-tchuh” and it’s not even close.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314/23 "2005-10-31T21:04:16Z")

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> [@Larry Borgia](#):
>
> I pronounce it like it’s spelled, sam as in Uncle Sam, Hain to rhyme with rain. But I could swear I’ve heard a different pronunciation somewhere. What’s the correct way to say this word?

Hey, that’s the way Donald Pleasance pronounced it in the classic “Halloween II.”

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**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314/24 "2005-11-01T00:34:35Z")

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> [@seosamh](#):
>
> An aunt called JOSEPH? (for that is what it is). How odd.

Oh NO! You’re not suggesting that there is anyone at all “odd” in **Sampiro** s famiily?  
The very idea! 😃

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**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-samhain/328314/25 "2005-11-01T02:59:52Z")

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> [@Larry Borgia](#):
>
> Thanks! Now, how do you pronounce a schwa? And how does Glenn Danzig pronounce Samhain?

He sings it as sow-in or sow-un on Soul on Fire but I’m 98% sure I have heard him refer to the band as Sam hane.

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