Pronunciation guide
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:15 am
I was watching a YouTube video about the Sandbox Campaign and the poor guy was having a bit of a nightmare with some of the pronunciations. I thought it might be useful to post a brief guide to the correct way to say the names of the Belgian place names and French surnames, for those who might feel the need for a little guidance. I don't claim that these are spot on, but they'll get you close enough that a French speaker would know what you were saying. In general, the faster you say them, the better they'll work.
Zh is a soft J sound, like Zsa Zsa Gabor. It also sounds better if the R's are rolled a little, but it's not vital. Where there's a -ang, -ong, or awng, the "g" should be just barely pronounced.
Places
Bruxelles Broozell
Charleroi Sharluhwah
Dinant Deenawng
Fleurus Fluh-rooce
Gembloux Zhawmbloo
Genappe Zhunnapp
Hougoumont Oogoomong
La Haye Sainte Lah Ay Sant
Liege Lee-ezh
Ligny Leenee
Maransart Mahrawngsar
Mont St. Jean Mong sang zhawng
Namur Nahmyoor
Nivelles Nee-vell
Plancenoit Plawngsuhnwah
Quatre-Bras Katruh-bra
Wavre Wahvruh
People
Chassé Shassay
Delort Duh-lawr
d'Erlon Dayrlong
d'Hurbal Durebahl
Domon Doh-mong
Donzelot Dongzelloh
Drouot Droo-oh
Duhesme Jew-ehm
Durutte Jewroot
Foy Fwah
Friant Free-awng
Guyot Gwee-oh
Jacquinot Zhahkeenoh
Jeanin Zhannang
Jerome Zhayruhm
Lefebvre-Desnouettes Luhfevruh-Daynoowet
Marcognet Markonyay
Morand More-awng
Mouton Mootawng
Perponcher Pairpawngshay
Pire Pee-ray
Quiot Key-oh
Rebecque Rebek
Reille Ray-uh
Simmer Seemayr
Soult Soolt
Subervie Syoobayrvee
Watier Vatyay
HTH!
Paul
Zh is a soft J sound, like Zsa Zsa Gabor. It also sounds better if the R's are rolled a little, but it's not vital. Where there's a -ang, -ong, or awng, the "g" should be just barely pronounced.
Places
Bruxelles Broozell
Charleroi Sharluhwah
Dinant Deenawng
Fleurus Fluh-rooce
Gembloux Zhawmbloo
Genappe Zhunnapp
Hougoumont Oogoomong
La Haye Sainte Lah Ay Sant
Liege Lee-ezh
Ligny Leenee
Maransart Mahrawngsar
Mont St. Jean Mong sang zhawng
Namur Nahmyoor
Nivelles Nee-vell
Plancenoit Plawngsuhnwah
Quatre-Bras Katruh-bra
Wavre Wahvruh
People
Chassé Shassay
Delort Duh-lawr
d'Erlon Dayrlong
d'Hurbal Durebahl
Domon Doh-mong
Donzelot Dongzelloh
Drouot Droo-oh
Duhesme Jew-ehm
Durutte Jewroot
Foy Fwah
Friant Free-awng
Guyot Gwee-oh
Jacquinot Zhahkeenoh
Jeanin Zhannang
Jerome Zhayruhm
Lefebvre-Desnouettes Luhfevruh-Daynoowet
Marcognet Markonyay
Morand More-awng
Mouton Mootawng
Perponcher Pairpawngshay
Pire Pee-ray
Quiot Key-oh
Rebecque Rebek
Reille Ray-uh
Simmer Seemayr
Soult Soolt
Subervie Syoobayrvee
Watier Vatyay
HTH!
Paul