Ehhhh?..... ** birthday bumped post **

[JustJean]

Hello everyone

I've got a huge favor to ask! In order to save myself a measure of humiliation when I visit Scotland later this year I'm desperate to figure out certain placenames....as in....How do you say that anyhow???

Lord knows my New England 'ahs' as in car (cah) will be enough of an impediment to the locals so I really would like to be able to get my mouth around a few........

If some kind soul is willing to discuss pronunciations on the following then please please.....elucidate me!

Here's a starter list......I expect to be adding to these regularly!!!


Leith - long e? short e? long i? say the th or not??

Penicuik - is that one like cook on the end? 3 syllables???

Auchtermuchty - I won't even attempt this one other than to guess it's got 4 syllables

Sanquhar - does the qu sound like a qu? 2 syllables...3...more???

Milngavie - say the N? long a short a??

Helensburgh - is this burgh done like Edinburgh???

Wemyss - ok...I'm guessing 1 syllable....maybe like Weems???


You might be wondering what kind of journey I'll be on if I manage to connect all these in one outing My real intent is to learn some letter patterns and sounds and build on a working base. Not to say that I won't drop in on one or two though...

Best wishes
Jean

[LesleyB]

Hi Jean
As far as I'm aware these are the correct pronunciations:

Leith - long e? short e? long i? say the th or not?? Leeth - pronounced as double "ee"as in feet and with the "th" as in "both".

Penicuik - is that one like cook on the end? 3 syllables??? Penny-cook

Auchtermuchty - I won't even attempt this one other than to guess it's got 4 syllables
Thats just doon the road frae here... Auch-ter-much-ty (honest, not taking the mick! with all "ch" as in a Scots Loch, emphasis on first and third syllable, so, no choice but to get yer "och"s sorted oot) You try telling the AA that your car has broken down there. Their switch board is in England. "Where?? Is that one word or two? Can you spell it? What? Is that in Gateside?" "Er, no, its not far from Gateside, but I'm in Auchtermuchty...!" It took a while....

Sanquhar - does the qu sound like a qu? 2 syllables...3...more???
Sanker - not 100% sure on this one! Basing it on a place called Craigsanquhar, so this might be different!

Milngavie - say the N? long a short a?? Mill-guy

Helensburgh - is this burgh done like Edinburgh??? Yes, like Edinburgh Helens-burraas far as I'm aware, but I'm an east coaster so could be wrong. Have family who worked there.

Wemyss - ok...I'm guessing 1 syllable....maybe like Weems??? Yup, Weems.

You not got any folk from Kilconquhar?
(pronounced Kin-uccher, the "ch" as in Loch again)
or Burntisland, which usually catches folk out - Its Burnt-island, not Burntis-land!

Best wishes
Lesley

[joette]

Hi Jean sounds like a fun trip & you are visiting many the places where my family & ancestors have too.
Here is how I pronounce them
Leith-long e & with the th.
Penicuik-pennycook-I think it was the original name anyway!
Auchtermurty-OOch(as in ooch aye the now!) tar murty
Sanqhaur-Sankher
Milngavie-a bit of a dispute here I say Millguy & some say Millngavie(usually in a pouncy posh voice.)
Helensburgh-yep the same as Edinburgh.
Wemyss-spot on but as I am not a local stand to be corrected.
Don't worry if you get it wrong just smile & that will usually suffice
Have a fantastic trip & good hunting-I am presuming that a lot of this will be an ancestor hunt?

[DavidWW]

Hi Jean
As far as I'm aware these are the correct pronunciations:

Leith - long e? short e? long i? say the th or not?? Leeth - pronounced as double "ee"as in feet and with the "th" as in "both".

Penicuik - is that one like cook on the end? 3 syllables??? Penny-cook

Auchtermuchty - I won't even attempt this one other than to guess it's got 4 syllables
Auch-ter-much-ty (honest, not taking the mick! with all "ch" as in a Scots Loch) You try telling the AA that your car has broken down there. Their switch board is in England. "Where?? Is that one word or two? Can you spell it? What? Is that in Gateside?" "Er, no, its not far from Gateside, but I'm in Auchtermuchty...!" It took a while....

Sanquhar - does the qu sound like a qu? 2 syllables...3...more???
Sanker - not 100% sure on this one! Basing it on a place called Craigsanquhar, so this might be different!

Milngavie - say the N? long a short a?? Mill-guy

Helensburgh - is this burgh done like Edinburgh??? Yes, like Edinburgh Helens-burra as far as I'm aware, but I'm an east coaster so could be wrong. Have family who worked there.

Wemyss - ok...I'm guessing 1 syllable....maybe like Weems??? Yup, Weems.

You not got any folk from Kilconquhar?
(pronounced Kin-uccher, the "ch" as in Loch again)

Best wishes
Lesley

Accent added by underlining !

Weems is effectively single syllable.

I'd leans towards Mullguy but then the first vowel sound is between an "i" and a "u"............ Similarly "Sankar"

So who's going to have a go at Tighnabruaich, Ecclefechan and Auchenshuggle, and then there's my all time favourite which I still can't really manage - Aberchirder" which has a loch type "ch" right after the first "r".

David

[JustJean]

Lesley and joette you're both fantastic ! I can also see that I have much (but not like the ch in loch ) to learn As for Oochtahmurty I think I'm getting the hang of it As for Millguy.... I never would have guessed......

I'm back to my maps and atlas for more examples....

Thanks again!

Jean

ps...yes. joette...on the ancestor trail...but hopefully some days at NRH will help me more than the touring!!

[JustJean]

....snipped....

I'd leans towards Mullguy but then the first vowel sound is between an "i" and a "u"............ Similarly "Sankar"

So who's going to have a go at Tighnabruaich, Ecclefechan and Auchenshuggle, and then there's my all time favourite which I still can't really manage - Aberchirder" which has a loch type "ch" right after the first "r".

David

Thanks David.....I dinnae ken there was a vowel sound half between i and u

as for your 4 additions.....I don't even think I could spell them without crib notes....but here goes..

TY NAH BREW AH
ECK LE FETCH IN
OOCH IN SHOOG EL
AB ER (Throaty sound) DER

How'd ah do?

Good think I'm starting these lessons now

Best wishes
Jean

[Russell]

Hi Jean

A slight modification on Auchtermuchty might help!

Try saying Och eye the noo! Concentrate on clearing your throat just as you say the Och bit and you have a perfect 'ch' sound that will fool a local.

Now Och...ter...much..ti

David suggested Tighnabruiach for practice too So....

Tin..a..brew...ach

Ignore the people from Mullguy. They only pretend to speak received English anyway.

If anyone suggests some of the Gaelic names ignore them. Very few native Scots can read them far less pronounce them.

Russell

[davran]

Well, I did enjoy that! As a sassenach (of Scottish descent, I hasten to add), I sometimes find it impossible to guess at the pronunciation. I wonder why the names are spelt as they are? I imagine gaelic was a spoken language long before it was written down, so why the peculiar spelling, or are there inflections that can't be written phonetically? How about ceilidh?

[JustJean]

Oh dear It's 30 some odd years now since I practiced said "throaty sounds" for High School French. I don't recall ever getting good at that either

I think the harder I try the more obvious twill be that I hivnae clue whit ah'm doin'!

It does distinctly seem though that if said "throaty sound" occurs at the end of a syllable it is much easier to deal with. I can't tell yet if it's humanly possible to lead with one!!

As for "Garlic" speakers...... 8-[ (no insults intended honest!!!) I'll be happy to leave them alone! As for Mullguy.....I wisnae going there anyhow

Thanks everyone.....this might have to be a regular feature on the site! Name that town....

Best wishes
Jean

[mallog]

Jean,
I hope it is a regular feature for a wee while it's been really funny and some of these places are news to me. If our paths cross on your travels we will know it's you right away cos you will have perfect och's by then.
mallog