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Elvira
What's your opinion on Elvira?
How would you pronounce it - el-VEER-a or el-VIE-ra (or something else)?
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I know one here in Finland, about 5 years old. they pronounce it EL-veer-ah here, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Not keen on it, but it was nice to see it as it's very unusual. There was a town called Elvira (prn el-vie-rah) near where i grew up in the midwest, but the name has always reminded me of the shlock horror Princess of the Dark.

This message was edited 2/1/2013, 6:12 AM

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I really like Elvira, which I tend to pronounce "el-VEER-ah" -- it's dramatic and romantic.
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Well, unlike most posters here I don't have any negative cultural references to it. I know several Elviras (it's pronounced EHL-vee-rah here, btw) and like the name well enough. It's a bit dated here.
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I wouldn't say that we all have negative cultural references. I love country music, and the song was popular when I was a kid. It also depends on what you think of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. It's just a strong association.
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I dig it. I'd use it and I hope I wouldn't be so cliche as to use it on a black cat but I'm tempted to. I'm happy to be the first person on this post to associate it with Don Giovanni. The DG character is not at all gothy or haunting, but instead flustered and silly. Zerlina is the flirty one and Anna is the noble one and I would definitely use those three names on kitties.I think to prn it Veer but I like both pronunciations.

This message was edited 1/31/2013, 3:54 PM

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It's pretty, but a little too vampire-sounding for my taste. Mostly it reminds me of Verdi's opera Ernani. I pronounce it el-VEER-a because of that, but a lot of people here pronounce it el-VIE-ra.
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2 things come to mind...this lady:
Photobucketand this song:
Photobucket
el-VEER-ah is nice enough but I think you'd have a lot of trouble achieving that pronunciation (in the US at least, where the "Mistress of the Dark" is pretty well known). Elvira (el-VIE-rah), besides having the pop culture references, does not sound nice IMO- It reminds me of 'virus'

This message was edited 1/31/2013, 2:39 PM

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I found the song on You Tube. It's definitely what I think of when I see or hear Elvira.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVHQsmIaDBY
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I looooove Elvira. I have since I was a kid. I pronounce it el-VIE-ra. el-VEER-a sounds like a medicine. "I got a sunburn, but it's okay because I slathered myself with a healthy dose of el-VEER-a."
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I first heard the name as "el-VEER-uh," as in "Elvira Madigan." It's so musical and hauntingly beautiful. And then I discovered the "el-VIE-ruh" pronunciation. It's so awkward and clunky sounding. I don't care for it at all.
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I love it. I'd use it if I had the courage. I also really love the French version, Elvire. So fancy!I say it ell-VYE-rah.
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