Pronunciation?

[cee-dee]

You often see words that are pronounced in different ways even though they have similar basic spelling to others?

One word, a name appears on every news site you look at just lately and that is Weinstein.

It seems it's usually pronounced wine-steen? The beginning and end both have the letters ein so why are both parts not pronounced the same? Like wine-stine or even ween-steen?

We're all familiar with Einstein who developed the theory of relativity and we usually pronounce his name ine-stine so why is Weinstein pronounced the way it is?

When I was at school and we were learning French, when questioned about the way some French things were expreseed or pronounced the French master just said "Because that's the way the French say it."

Does that hold good for Weinstein, "because that's the way it's pronounced"? There's no reason, that's just the way it is?

[kiss*my*pixel]

I agree, CeeDee. The correct pronunciation for this name is WineStine. It is annoying me immensely that it is being pronounced as WineSteen. The ei in the word makes it an 'eye' pronunciation. If it was meant to be pronounced ee, the letters would be ie. And both syllables would be pronounced the same, in whichever order they appear. So either WineStein for the 'ei' format, or WeenSteen for the 'ie' format.

[jd.linklater]

Having been taught German I logically assumed that it would be pronounced in the German manner ie Wynestyne but he may not have any German ancestry, all I can find is that he was born in New York of Jewish parents. Maybe it's just a personal preference but it does seem a bit illogical.

[kiss*my*pixel]

It is apparently the American influence of the 'ee' sound in the second syllable. Incorrect and illogical. But Americans are notorious for their mispronunciations. Sigh

[cee-dee]

Perhaps we should realiate with mis-pronunciation and pronounce the name wine-stain, more appropriate considering the allegations?

[mustard-tree]

Is there any reason why the surname Featherstonhaugh is pronounced Fanshawe?

[cee-dee]

For some things I think these song lyrics are appropriate?:-

And he can see no reason
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be sure.......

[cee-dee]

Another word (another name) in the news is Bombardier.

The aircraft firm is being pronounce Bom-bar-de-ay.

The word bombardier was always pronounced bom-ber-de-er so why the difference?

[theelench]

Isn't it because before printing  was common spelling was more fluid? 

So we have English names pronounced the same but with different spellings.  I've read that Shakespeare wrote his name using several different spellings, but I'm sure he would have only pronounced it one way. 

We now have a very fixed set of rules for how letters are pronounced that earlier generations didn't, they were happy making up spelling as they went along.  Often with regional variations in pronunciation and uses of letters that are not now accepted.

Once a family settled on a particular spelling it continued down the generations, so we have names with or without "e" on the end and some with "y" in place of "i" for example.

[tuckerbigdaddy5ngv]

I have always known it as Bom-bar-de-ay CD as it is a French Canadian firm 🙂

[cee-dee]

Yes, but we're in the UK?

I know the English language has pinched words from other languages and we've adopted our own pronunciation for some of them but...... "When in Rome...."????

[jd.linklater]

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@cee-dee wrote:

Perhaps we should realiate with mis-pronunciation and pronounce the name wine-stain, more appropriate considering the allegations?

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I  think maybe Sheitstain would be more appropriate?  

[cee-dee]

Ooops, I see I missed the "t" out of retaliate.

[j_uk643]

We aren't in Rome. And most Brits would be speaking English, or their best attempts at least, if they were.

If you visit different parts of the country, pronunciation varies within the UK considerably.