Pronunciation watch

[Cockney Sparrow]

I may have mentioned this before. The following passage occurs in Part 1 of Elgar's The Apostles:
The words are 'The Dawn reacheth even unto Hebron'.

In Boult's recording, Hebron is pronounced 'Heebron' as it was in two live performances in the 1970s. However, the town in Israel came into the news frequently, and was pronounced with a short E by the BBC. In the later Hickox and Elder performances, the chorus follows the BBC pronunciation (Hair-bron when drawn out). So I checked the Israeli pronunciation, which suggests that Boult was correct.

But if anyone knows better...

If plans hadn't been so totally disrupted, I'd have been singing The Apostles tomorrow (now switched to an all Mozart programme - still, I feel privileged to be singing at all). I joined the choir in question to sing The Apostles the last time we did it, and I think our pronunciation was the same as Boult's.

[french frank]

But if anyone knows better...

Not personally, no but Wiki gives the Hebrew pronunciation as Khevvron, with the stress on the second syllable. As far as The Apostles goes, I'd guess it's been a question of tradition - as it's actually referring to the Biblical city, rather than its modern Palestinian counterpart.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not personally, no but Wiki gives the Hebrew pronunciation as Khevvron, with the stress on the second syllable. As far as The Apostles goes, I'd guess it's been a question of tradition - as it's actually referring to the Biblical city, rather than its modern Palestinian counterpart.

Thank you for all of that. I had mistakenly thought Hebron was in Israel.

[Pabmusic]

Thank you for all of that. I had mistakenly thought Hebron was in Israel.

I remember Norman del Mar insisting it should be 'heebron' as it's just ugly as a nasal sound, given that Elgar spreads it over several notes.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[french frank]

I remember Norman del Mar insisting it should be 'heebron' as it's just ugly as a nasal sound, given that Elgar spreads it over several notes.

Nasal? Though I imagine English-speaking Biblical scholars have their traditional pronunciations, just as classical scholars do. It's unconnected with the name of the modern city (eg Darius).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Nasal? Though I imagine English-speaking Biblical scholars have their traditional pronunciations, just as classical scholars do. It's unconnected with the name of the modern city (eg Darius).

The term “nasal” implies using the nose to assist sound production, but the opposite is true.

[french frank]

The term “nasal” implies using the nose to assist sound production, but the opposite is true.

Yes, though a 'nasal' would imply a syllable followed by an n or an m. I would say that Heeeee…bron and Heh…bron were both as easy to sing however many notes sung they cover (like 'hea…ven') because the b is at the beginning of the second syllable. But the BBC's pronunciation in a current news story seems irrelevant, and for that reason Heeebron seems preferable, as Dar-IE-us would be preferable to DA-reeus (Guppy) .

[Serial_Apologist]

The term “nasal” implies using the nose to assist sound production, but the opposite is true.

Yes I would imagine that opening the nose so as to have two sources of sound production rather than just the mouth would lead to a reduction in volume - rather in the way plugging a second speaker into a mono sound system not designed for the purpose does!

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes, though a 'nasal' would imply a syllable followed by an n or an m. I would say that Heeeee…bron and Heh…bron were both as easy to sing however many notes sung they cover (like 'hea…ven') because the b is at the beginning of the second syllable. But the BBC's pronunciation in a current news story seems irrelevant, and for that reason Heeebron seems preferable, as Dar-IE-us would be preferable to DA-reeus (Guppy) .

And yet Milhaud's first name, Darius, always has the emphasis pronounced on the first syllable.

[french frank]

And yet Milhaud's first name, Darius, always has the emphasis pronounced on the first syllable.

But he wasn't Biblical! I missed the hoohah over Mr Guppy but had assumed he was also DA-reeus? So 'modernised' (for want of a better word) like the BBC's Hebbron.

My mistake: I've listened to a couple of YouTube videos and BJ calls his chum Da-RIE-us ('Darrie' for short). French obviously don't do Bible Studies

[gurnemanz]

The French tend to stress the final syllable. No personal experience but might a Frenchman not say DariUS? With a front-of-mouth u, as in "une".

[french frank]

No personal experience but might a Frenchman not say DariUS? With a front-of-mouth u, as in "une".

Yes, Da-rjUS Mil-HAUD. Which I hope helps Alpie with Hee-bron (Hé-BRON)!

[Pabmusic]

The term “nasal” implies using the nose to assist sound production, but the opposite is true.

Oh dear. Short e.

[gurnemanz]

The publishing of the 1921 census has led to a spate of mispronunciations of the word "genealogy", which manifestly only contains one 'o'. I even heard someone on the radio, who claimed to be a genealogist, calling herself a "geneologist".