Amsterdam

[Richard Barrett]

Trouble is it’s not quite the right rhythm . Am -ster - dam is better .

... although in Dutch "Amsterdam" is accentuated on the last syllable...

[LMcD]

[QUOTE=Richard Barrett;807894]... although in Dutch "Amsterdam" is accentuated on the last syllable...[/QUOTE/]
I think Max Bygraves may have been at least partly responsible for the emphasis placed by some people - myself included - on the first syllable.

[oddoneout]

[QUOTE=LMcD;807902]

... although in Dutch "Amsterdam" is accentuated on the last syllable...[/QUOTE/]
I think Max Bygraves may have been at least partly responsible for the emphasis placed by some people - myself included - on the first syllable.

Reminded me of nocturnal incidents with a child's escapologist pet many years ago. Hearing certain characteristic pattering noises across the landing the hissed cry would go out from parent's bedroom - 'amster, damn...

[Richard Barrett]

I think Max Bygraves may have been at least partly responsible for the emphasis placed by some people - myself included - on the first syllable.

But the song "Tulips from Amsterdam" (translated from a song originally written in German, in fact) does place the stress correctly on the last syllable!

[gurnemanz]

But the song "Tulips from Amsterdam" (translated from a song originally written in German, in fact) does place the stress correctly on the last syllable!

I remember it all too well from Children's Favourites. Is it not stressed on both first and last syllable?

[Richard Barrett]

I remember it all too well from Children's Favourites. Is it not stressed on both first and last syllable?

The last syllable is more stressed than the first, even so, both in the song and in spoken Dutch.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The last syllable is more stressed than the first, even so, both in the song and in spoken Dutch.

Isn’t it something like UM ster DUM in Dutch ?

[Richard Barrett]

Isn’t it something like UM ster DUM in Dutch ?

It is indeed a different sound from the British English "a", although I would say it goes more in the direction of "o" than "u". Since we're getting nerdy here: there are in fact many distinct regional accents in the Netherlands, just like in the UK, not to speak of the Flemish variant, and a whole other language in the Friesland region which at least in its written form is even more similar to English than regular Dutch is.

[oddoneout]

It is indeed a different sound from the British English "a", although I would say it goes more in the direction of "o" than "u". Since we're getting nerdy here: there are in fact many distinct regional accents in the Netherlands, just like in the UK, not to speak of the Flemish variant, and a whole other language in the Friesland region which at least in its written form is even more similar to English than regular Dutch is.

More particularly Geordie, with a good many words in common near as makes no odds.

[Richard Barrett]

More particularly Geordie, with a good many words in common near as makes no odds.

Indeed so. (I'll always remember meeting my first Geordie at a party when I was 20 or so and being quite incredulous that I couldn't understand a word he was saying.)

[oddoneout]

Indeed so. (I'll always remember meeting my first Geordie at a party when I was 20 or so and being quite incredulous that I couldn't understand a word he was saying.)

Whereas Dutch in-laws, Frisian in origin, found it much easier to communicate with Geordies when in this country, than the general English population. Bit like Cornish and Breton?

[Lordgeous]

I thought this threrad was about the Prom??!!

[LMcD]

I thought this threrad was about the Prom??!!

I'd like to think that Max Bygraves would have been thrilled to feature in an erudite discussion of a performance of Beethoven's 7th. One of the joys of the Forum, which is a very broad church, is that you can NEVER tell where a thread will end up - in most cases it's somewhere nice, and you may well have learnt something on the way. I think gurnemanz is right when he says that Mr B sings 'Tulips from AMsterDAM'.

[Richard Barrett]

I think gurnemanz is right when he says that Mr B sings 'Tulips from AMsterDAM'.

In 3/4 time the "Am" is a minim while the "dam" is a dotted minim tied to a crotchet in the following bar, that is to say the latter syllable is twice as long. I rest my case m'lud.

[LMcD]

[QUOTE=Richard Barrett;808203]In 3/4 time the "Am" is a minim while the "dam" is a dotted minim tied to a crotchet in the following bar, that is to say the latter syllable is twice as long. I rest my case m'lud.[/QUOTE

I've just sung it to myself and, do you know, you're absolutely right! Like Manuel, I learn every day.