Pronunciation of Royal Names

[Layla1971]

I cant find a word that explains how Margrethes name is pronounced but try something like this: Mah (Like the english Ma´)-grey-the

Is the "the" part at the end of Margrethe's name pronounced like one would say "the" in english, like 'the house' or is it pronounced "tah" ?

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re;

A Danish friend says it as;

Mar-gray-deh

And the deh is very quick and short whilst the gray part is dragged out a bit.

Margraayde

 

[Layla1971]

A Danish friend says it as;

Mar-gray-deh

And the deh is very quick and short whilst the gray part is dragged out a bit.

Margraayde

I hate to disagree, but I think it's Mar-ge-ray-dah or tah.

You're basically right, I just think the "gray" part is more like "ge-ray".

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

Does Danish have varying accents to it like English does? If it does, is there a standard 'Queen.s Danish' we could follow.

You could be right Layla. It's confusing - why couldn't she have been called Peggy?

 

[Layla1971]

Danish people help us english-speakers!

Does Danish have varying accents to it like English does? If it does, is there a standard 'Queen.s Danish' we could follow.

You could be right Layla. It's confusing - why couldn't she have been called Peggy?

I think Danish is like Irish or Scottish, there's a different accent for different counties, or whatever they call counties in Denmark.

Maybe someone from Copenhagen could help us, since the Queen most likely speaks with a similar accent as the people of Copenhagen.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

I think we do need a Danish speaker!

In England of course, we've got so many dialects. Windsor English, Estuary English etc and I would think thats the same for most countries.

 

[Layla1971]

I think we do need a Danish speaker!

In England of course, we've got so many dialects. Windsor English, Estuary English etc and I would think thats the same for most countries.

No it isn't that way in Australia. We have one accent for the country and another for the city. The country accent is more rustic, if one can call it that. And, the city one is more sophisticated, actually more British!

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

Really? Windsor English (News at Ten, The Shipping Forecast, The Queen) sounds strange to some.

Ar yew going into th' heyse?

(Are you going into the house?)

Whereas Estuary English, (Eastenders) sounds even more strange

Wee goin up d'shops den Madge?

(We going up the shops then Madge?)

I won't go into the Yorkshire and Lancashire accents (Tinternet and Teegypt - Internet and Eygpt. Another favourite is calling for a Thambulance).

 

[Layla1971]

Well, than goodness I don't have to learn to speak english! And, I thought Russian pronouciation was tough!

 

[Louise]

Is the "the" part at the end of Margrethe's name pronounced like one would say "the" in english, like 'the house' or is it pronounced "tah" ?

I'd say this is the closest to the danish pronuonciation, with a "the" at the end, but it's a very short e.

There are different accents i Denmark, but the way the queen speaks is what's known as rigsdansk (directly translated as state-danish), which is also how they mostly speak on the news and so on. The queens accent isn't like what they speak in Copenhagen, but more like they speak in north Seeland, where they are quite posh (the area is nicknamed the whiskey-belt or coast, because the properties there are very expensive and the people living there are quite rich).

This is just how I see it and pronounce it, and I'm from Jutland (born in the west, and currently living in the east), so perhaps someone says it differently.

 

[Australian]

i thought Margrethe is pronounced with the "the" as "ta", Margarayta

 

[Maxie]

The queens accent isn't like what they speak in Copenhagen, but more like they speak in north Seeland, where they are quite posh (the area is nicknamed the whiskey-belt or coast, because the properties there are very expensive and the people living there are quite rich).

This is really quite funny. Queen Beatrix also speaks my language with a very posh accent. But it suits her.

 

[regardez]

How do you pronounce Maxima? I don't understand the accent over the a... ( á )

 

[Maxie]

How do you pronounce Maxima? I don't understand the accent over the a... ( á )

Maybe the accent makes the 'a' a little longer? The sound a little more accentuated? (Good question, regardez. I'm beginning to wonder about the á too. Never did that before!)

Any of the argentine members? What's is it with the á?

 

[Piewi]

The á makes the sound more accentuated, the á sounds stronger or louder. I`m not sure if you`ll understand what i mean but please someone correct me if i didn`t it well

 

[Maxie]

The á makes the sound more accentuated, the á sounds stronger or louder. I`m not sure if you`ll understand what i mean but please someone correct me if i didn`t it well

Well, that's just what I thought, Piewi! Thanks for explaining it, now I'm sure!

 

[Silvermj]

How do you pronounce "Maxie" in Dutch? I mean, in English and Spanish "Maxima" has the same Latin origin (Maxima being the plural of Maximum in English), and the pronunciation of the first "Ma" is similar in both languages (Spanish and English) or that of the words: maximize, maximus, maxillae or the name Maximillian (Oh no, I did not forget it : Maximus was the name or Russel Crowe's Gladiator! Again, same pronunciation of the first "Ma").

The sound of the second "ma" is lighter but their pronunciation lenght is identical. The accent applies for stronger sounds. Hope this have helped you all!

 

[christinacg]

Hello, this is my first post!

I have always been wondering how Queen Marie Jose's name was pronounced. Is Jose pronounced the spanish way, like ho-zay or is it Jo-see, or something else.

Also, how to you pronounce King Baudouin's name?

Thanks in advance.

 

[juliamontague]

José is pronounced French, the J is more like the English J that the spanish J.

 

[Will's princess]

Is Princess Beatrice like Bay-a-tris or Bai-tris or Bea-tris or something completely different?

Re Eugenie I normally say it like U-G(as in the Eng alphabet)-Nee/nay or U-J(as pronounced in the French alphabet)-Nee/nay but how is it actually pronounced?

 

[Scott]

I have just read this post from begining to end and I think it is great, enteraining and very amusing in places. I can picture people trying to get their tongues around some of the names. I found myself attempting to master the pronounciation as I was reading along, to say the names the way you have all suggested and some are not easy with false teeth!!!!

At least I think I have solved the problem of saying the Queen of Denmarks name - it is easy - Daisy!!!!!!!!!! I believe that what she is affectionalty known as in Denmark? I hope so as I do not mean any disrespect

Thank you everyone for the insight into Royal name pronouncing

Kindest regards
Scott

 

[RoyalEnquirer]

The names I have problems with are Mette-Marit, Sverre, and Haakon, LOL! I guess just the Norwegian names confuse me!

Emily

 

[Scott]

The names I have problems with are Mette-Marit, Sverre, and Haakon, LOL! I guess just the Norwegian names confuse me!

Emily

I know what you mean. I am never sure about Haakan. HawCON, Haw CAN. and also Maertha Louise. The Louise bit is OK but is it Mart Ugh or MER ugh that confuses me. As for the new little prince's first name ?????????
I never had these problems with Olav, Maud, Harald, Sonja or even Ingrid Alexandra

Scott

 

[Saragli]

Ive always said it like HaKoon. And Met Ma Reet. Is Rania pronounced Ra Nee A or Ra Nya

 

[jm83au]

how do u pronounce prince amedeoi of belgiums name.
ie. how do u pronounce amedeo? anyone heard his name siad?

 

[georgierose]

Mette-Marit is pronounced Me (like the 'me' in 'met') - te (like the 'te' in 'ten')Ma ('ma' as in mother) - ree (like 'rea' in 'read') - t. In fact, it sounds very much how it looks. Princess Märtha-Louise's name is much harder to teach to a non-Norwegian speaking person, as English does not have the letter ä. It is hard to explain how it sounds. Perhaps as the 'e' in 'bet' - I can not really explain it.

Sverre Magnus is pronounced S - ve (like the 'e' in 'rest' or 'best') - re (like the 'e' in 'the') Ma - hag - noos.

My brother says 'Sverre' similar to the start of 'Severus Snape' from Harry Potter, so maybe start with that as a practice!

 

[Scott]

Mette-Marit is pronounced Me (like the 'me' in 'met') - te (like the 'te' in 'ten')Ma ('ma' as in mother) - ree (like 'rea' in 'read') - t. In fact, it sounds very much how it looks. Princess Märtha-Louise's name is much harder to teach to a non-Norwegian speaking person, as English does not have the letter ä. It is hard to explain how it sounds. Perhaps as the 'e' in 'bet' - I can not really explain it.

Sverre Magnus is pronounced S - ve (like the 'e' in 'rest' or 'best') - re (like the 'e' in 'the') Ma - hag - noos.

My brother says 'Sverre' similar to the start of 'Severus Snape' from Harry Potter, so maybe start with that as a practice!

I wonder if english names sound as hard to prounounce to Norwegians
I think your explanation on how to pronounce Sverre is the best one I have heard so I will go with that!!! Thank you very much

Regards
Scott

 

[ally_cooper]

It's Pieter pronunced like Peter? I always said Pieter-Christiaan van Vollenhoven as Peter Christian... it's that correct?

 

[RoyalEnquirer]

Can anyone tell me if Prince Philipe of Belgium pronounces his name like - Phil-Leap or is more like Prince Phillip of Great Britain's pronunciation? Thanks!

 

[moosey60]

Philippe would be, as you said, Phil-leap. (Say it with a French accent )