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Help[Opinions] Names starting with Yv
I have a question. In English people tend to pronounce names beginning with Yv as Eve and then the rest of the name. However some of them have an alternate pronunciation. Here’s what I mean
Yvonne is either Eve-ON or uh-VON
Yvette is either Eve-ETT or uh-VET
The latter versions of the names begin with a schwa
So I’m guessing Yvelise doesn’t have to be said evil-LEASE
It could be shortened in English and sound a bit more like ivvuh-LEASE
So now it doesn’t really allude to the word evil.
Now the proper French pronunciation is totally different I know but same goes for Genevieve and Madeleine. Thoughts?
Yvonne is either Eve-ON or uh-VON
Yvette is either Eve-ETT or uh-VET
The latter versions of the names begin with a schwa
So I’m guessing Yvelise doesn’t have to be said evil-LEASE
It could be shortened in English and sound a bit more like ivvuh-LEASE
So now it doesn’t really allude to the word evil.
Now the proper French pronunciation is totally different I know but same goes for Genevieve and Madeleine. Thoughts?
Replies
My cousin Yvonne had a few family members who called her EEvon. She really wished they wouldn't. I said it more like i-VON, and would do the same for Yvette. EE vuh LEEZ sounds harmless. As for alluding to evil, that seems nonsensical to me.
The point about Genevieve and Madeleine is that they have been taken over as English-sounding names, and Yvelise hasn't. Zhahn-vee-ev would immediately indicate a French-speaking person, for instance (sorry about my lousy phonetics!), and any English-speaking person who tried to get people to use it would have a mountain to climb and would probably give up.
The point about Genevieve and Madeleine is that they have been taken over as English-sounding names, and Yvelise hasn't. Zhahn-vee-ev would immediately indicate a French-speaking person, for instance (sorry about my lousy phonetics!), and any English-speaking person who tried to get people to use it would have a mountain to climb and would probably give up.
I know it’s harmless I saw it somewhere and now I can’t unhear in my head but thanks. Yes I am aware of what you said about Genevieve and Madeleine. I understood the phonetics but would probably say it more like Zhahn (but more nasal) and vyev instead of vee ev
But thanks for replying
But thanks for replying
This message was edited 5/17/2024, 9:21 AM
Hmm I always thought French and other European languages didn’t follow English phonology. Let me explain. I think the words eat and it differ in English so let’s say you’re speaking Spanish and you want to say “pan”. I’ve heard Americans say they wondered if saying it like the English pan were correct. Upon finding out that the ae sound in pan doesn’t exist in Spanish they switched over to pahhhhn. I was like but those languages don’t have those phonology rules English has. To me being Greek but with an Australian mother and speaking some French ( yes I’m familiar with the “ons” (garçons) and the “in” sound (as in matin) etc.) Italian (but Italian has drawn out and short sounds) and Greek, I find English to be very messy phonetically speaking and sometimes even unphonetic. The way I’d say Yvelise would depend but I’m leaning towards iv not eve because I know one can say iv on when pronouncing Yvonne. My point is in English this is it’s not doing much justice to the French vocalic y sound.
This message was edited 5/17/2024, 9:36 AM
Since these names are French, I pronounce them the French way: Yvette is "EE-VEHT",Yvonne is "EE-VAWN" and Yvelise is EEV-LEEZ".
I don’t think AW or EE are identical to the French o and vocalic y sounds but okay
Personally I pronounce those names with an iv sound, not eve.
Thanks. I’m sure that Eve is considered standard as well, but it baffles me that it’s supposed to be identical to the French i sound.