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Help[Opinions] Re: Cecil + question
in reply to a message by noel
I used to like it and actually have forgotten about it. I suppose I still think it's nice, but I've never liked it enough to consider using it. It was the middle name of one of my friends in high school, which I thought was awesome. I think it's nice and baseball-y a la Cecil Fielder.
A question: How do you pronounce it, SESS-l or SEES-l?
Cecil Fielder said it SESS-l, but I'd pronounce it SEES-l otherwise.
A question: How do you pronounce it, SESS-l or SEES-l?
Cecil Fielder said it SESS-l, but I'd pronounce it SEES-l otherwise.
This message was edited 12/15/2015, 7:48 AM
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Replies
My strongest associations with Cecil are William Cecil and Robert Cecil, and I've only ever heard it pronounced SESS-əl in relation to them. I'd assume SEES-əl was French.
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I've only ever heard the SEES-l version in an American context - very rarely, on CNN news, but first in the 1974 Great Gatsby movie, where someone - Tom perhaps, or Gatsby himself - is saying the names of party guests out loud and at least one of them or possibly two were SEES-ls. I was amazed, because my late father was one of the last of the South African Cecils and also because of Cecil John Rhodes, an English immigrant to South Africa during the gold rush who became politically and financially notorious. So I imagine that SESS-l is the British form (my grandparents were Brits).
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I think I always pronounced it SES-il until I listened to Welcome to Night Vale, where it's pronounced SEES-il.
But then at my husband's family reunion this summer, it was pronounced SES-il. SEES-il feels more friendly and approachable though. I agree with noel about SES-il feeling pompous.
But then at my husband's family reunion this summer, it was pronounced SES-il. SEES-il feels more friendly and approachable though. I agree with noel about SES-il feeling pompous.
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SEE-səl has a rural/southern(US) vibe to me, and that's how I'd pronounce it intuitively.
SES-əl sounds more proper, and I feel a little pompous saying it. The more I say it, the more I like it, though.
I don't think I have a preference.
SES-əl sounds more proper, and I feel a little pompous saying it. The more I say it, the more I like it, though.
I don't think I have a preference.
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I prefer SESS-l, but when I met a Cecil he pronounced it SEES-l. I don't come across it very often.
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