RickenBACKer or RickenBACHer?

[Wyrdlow]

AFAIK, in native English speaking areas outside North America, less exposed to German immigration, musicians mentioning Rickenbacker consistently say it as rhyming with "linebacker".

Precisely so. Until this thread, I wasn't aware of it being pronounced otherwise.

 

[eddybuzzard]

I say rickenBOCKer, just to piss off the fan bois

Please don't....

 

[eddybuzzard]

“I’m paying them, therefore I can be disrespectful to them” is a miss around here but you do you.

You're misquoting me, sir.
I actually have a lot of respect for Rickenbacker

 

[loukash]

Given that Adolph Rickenbacher was Swiss born, I'd go with the genuine Swiss pronunciation of "ch":



(Disclosure: I'm fluent in Swiss German dialect, but it's not my first language…)

 

[HaphAsSard]

Given that Adolph Rickenbacher was Swiss born, I'd go with the genuine Swiss pronunciation of "ch":



(Disclosure: I'm fluent in Swiss German dialect, but it's not my first language…)

Interesting!
I was aware of the fact some initial "k"'s are pronounced "ch"'s instead in Swiss German, and of the higher strength / more retracted (uvular) articulation of the latter sound.
[Additionally, I seem to remember that, in some word positions, the "k" sound is actually an affricate, i.e. a rapid k-ch sequence.]

I was not aware that they seem to only have one "ch" sound.
(Based on the lady in the video, they apparently lack the front, "ich" variant, which she does produce, toward the end, when giving the standard-German pronunciation of "Küche" to contrast it with the Swiss one.)

 

[Gizmot]

In college I was taught that proper speech is the speech used by the most educated people in a given area. I don’t know if I qualify for most educated, but I own two Rics and I’ve always said Ricken-BACKER.

 

[loukash]

I was not aware that they seem to only have one "ch" sound.

There are many different Swiss dialects, and so in some, the "ch" may also slightly differ from the given example. My wife comes from Bern, and her "ch" is much softer. I, for one, don't use it that excessively at all: As a Czech native, I keep my "ch" rather soft, similar to the German "ch" and very close to the Russian "ch" ("Х" in Cyrillic). Else my throat would start to hurt, haha…

Meanwhile I've looked up a bit more details about A. Rickenbacker:
His registered birth name was Adolf Adam Riggenbacher; the Swiss "gg" is usually pronounced like "ck".
And he was born only 2 km from the place where I currently live.

 

[BASSDROID]

Actually I kinda like RickenBAKEr. I like cake. Cookies too.

Reflexively, I'm in the Bach camp having grown up around people of the Deutche persuasion.

I suppose I could and probably would change it if I were forced to.

I will cross that bridge when and if that day comes.

 

[steve_ss]

To avoid problems, I simply say "Rick" and leave it at that. And NEVER Ricky.

 

[dune]

Found it: FAQ

Well, that's definitive. Thanks.

 

[OldShark]

Aside: As a native German, it's strange to read American speakers wonder whether a name part is pronounced as "Bach" when I'm sure you will pronounce the "ch" quite different from the way he will have done... (and apparently I might do pronoumce it differently as well, living in different centuries and locations within Germany...).

 

[Pet Sounds]

It is definitely RickenBACKer.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I heard that if you do not pronounce it correctly Jim Hall will revoke your ownership rights and will personally seize any instruments in your possession with the Rickenbacker name attached.

 

[psychovox]

You're all missing the point. It's "Moog" not "Moog".

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You're all missing the point. It's "Moog" not "Moog".

Did the factory tour, so I know that one. Of course, I was saying it wrong.

 

[BearlyBass]

You're all missing the point. It's "Moog" not "Moog".

The first time I heard the correct pronunciation of Moog, I went “ohhhhhhhhh mohhhhhhg” and now that’s what I hear in my head every time I read the name. I’m also reminded of one of my favorite comics about how we’re all learning new things every day, and how fun and beautiful that can be:

Ten Thousand

xkcd.com

 

[J Wilson]

Back in the Pleistocene when I started out in the late 70's, 'Rickenbacker' was pronounced 'No Rotosounds !'

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Look.... When it comes down to it some people say 'Rick' but I prefer just plain ole 'Ric'

Rezdog

 

[Jeff Scott]

The "Ricky"

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'm Scottish, All of those are the same vowel sound

How do you pronounce this guy's name?