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Help[Opinions] Ghislaine
How do you pronounce Ghislaine?
Guru had a thread on Sunday the 23rd about Gisela. In my response I mentioned how much I liked Ghislaine and gave a pronunciation guide, "gheez-LEN," with a hard "g" sound. Another poster pointed out that it should be "zheez-LEN" and sure enough that's what the link to Ghislaine says too.
I first heard the name on a minor character in a French film and it was pronounced with a hard "g." It made sense because of the "h" after the "g." But now I'm not so sure. Perhaps there are different ways of saying it depending on where one lives. I'd be grateful for any information and if you could tell me how you know that would be really appreciated. :-)
Thanks!
Guru had a thread on Sunday the 23rd about Gisela. In my response I mentioned how much I liked Ghislaine and gave a pronunciation guide, "gheez-LEN," with a hard "g" sound. Another poster pointed out that it should be "zheez-LEN" and sure enough that's what the link to Ghislaine says too.
I first heard the name on a minor character in a French film and it was pronounced with a hard "g." It made sense because of the "h" after the "g." But now I'm not so sure. Perhaps there are different ways of saying it depending on where one lives. I'd be grateful for any information and if you could tell me how you know that would be really appreciated. :-)
Thanks!
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Replies
I'm not super familiar w/ the name, but the h would incline me to use the hard g on this one.
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Much appreciated. That was my first impression as well. From reading everyone's responses it looks as though there are at least three legitimate ways to pronounce the name. And ours is one of them. :-)
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I can see how it could be confusing though 'cause the j sound FEELS more natural in that spot if we could ignore the h.... or if it could be prn'd like the gh in enough just to be silly, it could be prn'd fizlen.:-P
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My first impression as a non-native French speaker was zheez-LEN. The g makes an appearance, but it almost just colors the first syllable only. My most prominent French teacher had lived in Southern France and my next French teacher was parisienne through and through. I am, however, North American and likely botch my pronunciations, simply by being a non-native speaker.
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And the BtN database agrees with you. Since it looks as though there are more than one legitimate way to pronounce Ghislaine I do too. :-)
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Paris intel. Now we're getting down to cases.
Forgive my confusion, but when you use "gee" in your pronunciation guide, is that a "g" a "j" sound?
Most helpful. Thank you.
Forgive my confusion, but when you use "gee" in your pronunciation guide, is that a "g" a "j" sound?
Most helpful. Thank you.
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It's like the g in gift. Sorry! - it's really hard to explain these things. I should use IPA but I'm too lazy to look it up :)
But it seems there are two different pronunciations of Ghislaine. Apparently over the years the s has become silent in some versions of the name, but not all, so looks like a zhiz-len pronunciation is legit too.
My cousin and I's mutual great-great-grandfather was a Guislain. Now I'm wondering if he pronounced the s!
But it seems there are two different pronunciations of Ghislaine. Apparently over the years the s has become silent in some versions of the name, but not all, so looks like a zhiz-len pronunciation is legit too.
My cousin and I's mutual great-great-grandfather was a Guislain. Now I'm wondering if he pronounced the s!
This message was edited 10/26/2011, 12:45 AM
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I've heard "gee-LEN". I like the sound and look of it, but I have reservations given the confusion over how its pronounced.
This message was edited 10/25/2011, 1:43 PM
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Vive la difference? :-P
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I'm saying GIZ-layn, which is just the phonetic spelling. I have no idea no idea how it's really pronounced! I like the way it looks, although the H looks a bit weird.
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Aw. The H really likes you a lot. :-)
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More real life examples. Very helpful. Thanks!
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I know a Ghislaine, who is French and pronounces it zheez-len. I'm probably just nadding to the muddlement. :)
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Not at all. Any and all evidence is valuable. The picture is beginning to form that there are more ways than one to pronounce Ghislaine. She's a tricky little beauty.
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I've heard zheez-LEN and ghee-LEN, because if you pronounce it in the French way, you harden the G and drop the s-sound. The soft g and pronounced s-sound is Belgian, at least that's what my Luxembourgish friend tells me. I prefer it the Belgian way, but the hard g can be pretty too.
I'm actually very glad the s-sound is dropped... otherwise my uncle would have ruined for me when he said, by looking at the name, "sounds like gasoline". But when you pronounce it right, it barely sounds anything like it. I love this name... might even be courageous enough to use it someday.
ETA: a cute nn for the ghee-LEN pronunciation could be Gilly.
I'm actually very glad the s-sound is dropped... otherwise my uncle would have ruined for me when he said, by looking at the name, "sounds like gasoline". But when you pronounce it right, it barely sounds anything like it. I love this name... might even be courageous enough to use it someday.
ETA: a cute nn for the ghee-LEN pronunciation could be Gilly.
This message was edited 10/25/2011, 12:14 PM
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Great intel. So, if I've got this correct:
"zheez-LEN" -- Belgian (soft g)
"ghee--LEN" -- French (hard g)
My "gheez-LEN" was completely wrong. I was smooshing the two.
You've been very helpful, thanks!
"zheez-LEN" -- Belgian (soft g)
"ghee--LEN" -- French (hard g)
My "gheez-LEN" was completely wrong. I was smooshing the two.
You've been very helpful, thanks!
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You're welcome! It just gets confusing sometimes because some French people prefer it the Belgian way.
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My French teacher pronounces it zheez-LEN. Maybe it's not definite, as you said, though.
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I say gheez-LEN (hard 'g') as well because of the 'h'. I learned this as a pronunciation rule but I'm not French so I could still be wrong.
ETA: I'm still wondering whether the 's' should be silent...
ETA: I'm still wondering whether the 's' should be silent...
This message was edited 10/25/2011, 11:25 AM
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Great. Now I'm wondering about the "s" too. Aaaargh!
Still, that's three of us who are using a hard "g" sound with reckless abandon.
Still, that's three of us who are using a hard "g" sound with reckless abandon.
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I say it ghiz-LEN, so really close to how you're saying it. I guess I was going more Italian than French? When I first discovered it I pronounced it zheez-LEN, I think. Not sure how or why I changed it.
This message was edited 10/25/2011, 10:39 AM
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Oh good. I'm not alone. That's comforting. :-)
[I'm still hoping there's a Francophile out there who can put this one to rest for me.]
[I'm still hoping there's a Francophile out there who can put this one to rest for me.]
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