Miscellaneous Pronunciation

[Jeff Guevin]

So I don't embarrass myself in front of others, how do you pronounce Eccles? What about DaXun Zhang?

And while we're at it, Solar? Actually, I know how to pronounce "Solar" (so-lahr), but why is it pronounced that way?

-Jeff

[mje]

Originally Posted by jguevin

So I don't embarrass myself in front of others, how do you pronounce Eccles? What about DaXun Zhang?

"Eccles" is ek-uhls, where the "uh" is really a schwa sound.

"DaXun Zhang" is pronounced "Bernstein"

[Marcus Johnson]

Good question....why is it So-Lahhhr? If you pronounce it correctly, most jazz musicians look at you like you're nuts.

[kontrabass]

Originally Posted by mje

"DaXun Zhang" is pronounced "Bernstein"

That made me laugh.

DaXun Zhang is "Daash-houn shang"

A slight emphasis/roll on the "s" in "Zhang."

This is a brilliant topic. I wish I had taken notes for every incorrect pronounciation I have ever made in front of a musician!

[Anon2962]

Also, pronounciation is spelled p-r-o-n-o-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n not p-r-o-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n. if we're getting picky.

it reelie gets on mi nerv's when peepul you's bad speling's and you'se sytax bad and gramur.

[Jeff Guevin]

I would like to learn how to spell Connecticut. Don't ask me why.

[mje]

Since none of us non-Chinese speakers can get the pitch inflection even remotely correct in pronouncing Chinese names, I imagine Chinese musicians must develop a thick skin about that sort of thing.

A friend who worked many years ago in a Chinese restaurant actually learned to call orders in to the cooks in Chinese... mostly. One day she was calling in an order and the cooks starterd laughing hysterically. Asked why, they explained that she had said "One lo mein, one fried rice, and your house in on fire."

[Jeff Guevin]

I've got another pronunciation to check on: Bradetich?

[Jake]

Bradetich: Brad-eh-tich

[Jeff Guevin]

Thanks! I live in fear of mispronouncing the names of (more or less) famous people. Now I know I won't run into him and call him "Brady-tick".

If I ever see Kim Basinger walking down the street, I will probably pretend not to notice her.

[TroyK]

Is it "Jay-me Merritt" or "Hi-may Merritt"?

Art Blakey introduces Kenny Dorham on a record as "Dor-ham", but I think he must have been mistaken about that. Clark Terry told a story about him at a show I saw once and he said "Doram" like everyone else.

I'm sure Kenny kicked him under the table.

[Jeremy Allen]

Originally Posted by TroyK

Is it "Jay-me Merritt" or "Hi-may Merritt"?

Every time I've heard his name spoken, people have called him "Jimmy" Merritt. I don't know if that's correct, but some of the people were around in his time. I'm pretty sure it isn't "Jaime" (Hi-may).

What about Paul Motian? "Motion" or "Moat-Ian"?

And for all those who care (this may be a remarkably small number), I have it on good authority that the correct pronunciation of Chris Botti's name is "boaty" and not "bot-ti."

[TroyK]

Wow, "Jymie" = "Jimmy". Who'd of thunk it?

I've always heard "Motion", but I don't claim to know.

[Jeremy Allen]

Well, the New Grove has Merritt's given name as "James." So maybe the better question is, how'd he get to "Jymie" from "James?" He's still around, I believe, and in Philadelphia; any Philly cats around here?

[Chrix]

My favourite is Renee Rosnes.

My jazz history teacher (who I believe has played with her or at least hung with her) said it's pronounced Ree-nee Ros-nes. I thought he was putting me on.

[Jake deVilliers]

"My favourite is Renee Rosnes. "

That's a special favourite of mine, because my baby sister's name is Renee, pronounced the French way.
When I first heard Rosnes introduced at a jazz show in Vancouver in the early eighties I thought the emcee had really put his foot in his mouth!

Like the moron introducing Stephane Grapelli who said, " and we're very pleased to tell you that we have a jazz guitar legend in the house tonight; Barney Kester!"

Jake, as in cake, bake, snake

[isolated]

Renee is short for "Irene". My grandmother always called my aunt Irene 'Renee', so I thought that made sense the first time I heard Ms. Rosnes' name pronounced.

[Jeff Guevin]

Originally Posted by isolated

Renee is short for "Irene".

Wha? This piqued by curiosity, so I found:

http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Rene

claiming that "Rene" (no accent) is short for Irene, but:

http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Ren%E9e

Renée (and René) is from French for "reborn".

Not that "thinkbabynames.com" is necessarily authoritative, but they seem to know a lot more than I do, plus they have nifty graphs.

[Marcus Johnson]

Another one is the late, great Phineas Newborn, who pronounced his name "fine as" (or fine ass, if you prefer). Ray Brown wrote a tune for him, entitled "Fine As Can Be".

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Also, with Stanley Crouch, is it pronounced "Crouch", or "Supreme arbiter of all matters relating to personal taste in jazz"? I've always been stumped by that one.