Pronunciation of "Davies"

[Jerry Friedman]

While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

[T.H. Entity]

On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

--
THE

"If you or I use a word inappropriately, that's an error. If a newspaper
uses a word inappropriately, that's a citation source for the dictionaries."
-- Peter Moylan

[Peter Duncanson]

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

[T.H. Entity]

On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 19:03:13 +0100, Peter Duncanson

Post by Peter Duncanson

Post by T.H. Entity
In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

Me too. I was trying hard to forget them, though.


--
THE

"If you or I use a word inappropriately, that's an error. If a newspaper
uses a word inappropriately, that's a citation source for the dictionaries."
-- Peter Moylan

[athel...@yahoo]

Post by T.H. Entity
On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 19:03:13 +0100, Peter Duncanson

Post by Peter Duncanson

Post by T.H. Entity
In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

Me too. I was trying hard to forget them, though.

A Daveez that I thought I had completely forgotten until you revived
the repressed memory was one E. Z. Davies, a used-car dealer in the
Palo Alto area who used to advertise on a radio station (KKHI?) that I
listened to when I was at Berkeley in the 1960s. He pronounced it as
Easy Daveez, and although I was vaguely aware that the letter z has a
different name in the US from what it has everywhere else it took me a
while to realize that "Easy" was not a description but his initials.

athel

[Robert Bannister]

Post by Peter Duncanson

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

I can't say I've come across that. I do use the "-eez" pronunciation
myself when trying to make clear to a third person what the spelling is,
but I wouldn't have thought it was normal. However, the way a person
pronounces his or her name is bound by no rules, and if they want to
pronounce Zgbyziak as Fanshaw, we must not argue.

[Jerry Friedman]

Post by Robert Bannister

Post by Peter Duncanson

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

I can't say I've come across that.

...

In the U.S. I've never heard anything but /'deIviz/. Any Canadians
want to contribute? Though Robertson Davies said he had a unique
accent, so that still might not settle it.

[CDB]

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in
the U.S. like "Davy's"

[...]

Post by Jerry Friedman
In the U.S. I've never heard anything but /'deIviz/. Any Canadians
want to contribute? Though Robertson Davies said he had a unique
accent, so that still might not settle it.

All I've ever heard is /'deIviz/; that's how the CBC pronounce it.
It's the common pronunciation of that name in Canada, and I'm pretty
sure I would have noticed "Robertson Davis". But if there was a
choice between a common CanE and a BrE pronunciation of his name,
Davies would have opted for the second.

[Salvatore Volatile]

Post by CDB
All I've ever heard is /'deIviz/; that's how the CBC pronounce it.
It's the common pronunciation of that name in Canada, and I'm pretty
sure I would have noticed "Robertson Davis". But if there was a
choice between a common CanE and a BrE pronunciation of his name,
Davies would have opted for the second.

Erk can provide the stats, but my gut feeling is that "Davies" is an
unusual surname in the US (I think of it as "very British-looking", and it
can't be that that's just because of the Kinks). "Davis", on the other
hand, seems to be pretty common in the US. I wonder if this has any
bearing on anything.

There are a lot of other surnames that seem markedly British even though
Anglo-Britic surnames still account for the bulk of the more
frequently-encountered surnames in the US (though I think some Hispanic
ones are moving up the list). For example, someone with the surname
"Rhys" is bound to be British. ("Rice", which I understand to be
etymologically related to "Rhys", is a pretty common US surname.) This
suggests to me that "Rhys" became more popular as a surname in Britain
after The Great Cultural Sundering. 19th-century Welsh nationalism?

Also, for some reason lots of people in Canada are named "Mackenzie" and
lots of people in Texas are named "Ewing".

[T.H. Entity]

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:25:29 +0000 (UTC), Salvatore Volatile

Post by Salvatore Volatile

Post by CDB
All I've ever heard is /'deIviz/; that's how the CBC pronounce it.
It's the common pronunciation of that name in Canada, and I'm pretty
sure I would have noticed "Robertson Davis". But if there was a
choice between a common CanE and a BrE pronunciation of his name,
Davies would have opted for the second.

Erk can provide the stats, but my gut feeling is that "Davies" is an
unusual surname in the US (I think of it as "very British-looking", and it
can't be that that's just because of the Kinks).

It's definitely ['reI'deIvIs] in the original, by the way.

As for the spelling, I see a fairly even split on both sides of the
Atlantic when it comes to celeb Davieses and Davises. In the UK we
have the e-free snooker player Steve and the conductor Colin balanced
by the e'd-up playright Russell and the unassailable king of comedy
Freddie "Parrot Face", while you lot have always had Marion vs. Bette.

I trust you aren't suggesting that the love of William Randolph
Hearst's life was in some deep sense un-American?

--
THE

"If you or I use a word inappropriately, that's an error. If a newspaper
uses a word inappropriately, that's a citation source for the dictionaries."
-- Peter Moylan

[Jerry Friedman]

Post by Salvatore Volatile

Post by CDB
All I've ever heard is /'deIviz/; that's how the CBC pronounce it.
It's the common pronunciation of that name in Canada, and I'm pretty
sure I would have noticed "Robertson Davis". But if there was a
choice between a common CanE and a BrE pronunciation of his name,
Davies would have opted for the second.

Erk can provide the stats, but my gut feeling is that "Davies" is an
unusual surname in the US (I think of it as "very British-looking", and it
can't be that that's just because of the Kinks). "Davis", on the other
hand, seems to be pretty common in the US. I wonder if this has any
bearing on anything.

In the U.S., according to
<http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.all.last>

Davis: 0.48%, 6th
Davies: 0.011%, 1092nd

I'd never have guessed that Davis was so common or that the discrepancy
was so great, maybe because of exposure to a Davies family in my
childhood. (Similar logic proves that Davis, like Roberts, is a Jewish
surname.)

Post by Salvatore Volatile
There are a lot of other surnames that seem markedly British even though
Anglo-Britic surnames still account for the bulk of the more
frequently-encountered surnames in the US (though I think some Hispanic
ones are moving up the list).

In 1990, the first 17 were British. Garcia is number 18, with Martinez
at 19 and Rodriguez at 22.

I didn't see any Italian surnames anywhere near the top of the list.

Post by Salvatore Volatile
For example, someone with the surname
"Rhys" is bound to be British.

I don't know about that, but there apparently aren't any in the U.S.--I
wouldn't have guessed that either.

Post by Salvatore Volatile
("Rice", which I understand to be
etymologically related to "Rhys", is a pretty common US surname.) This
suggests to me that "Rhys" became more popular as a surname in Britain
after The Great Cultural Sundering. 19th-century Welsh nationalism?

...

They can't all have had their names changed at Ellis Island.

[Salvatore Volatile]

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by Salvatore Volatile
There are a lot of other surnames that seem markedly British even though
Anglo-Britic surnames still account for the bulk of the more
frequently-encountered surnames in the US (though I think some Hispanic
ones are moving up the list).

In 1990, the first 17 were British. Garcia is number 18, with Martinez
at 19 and Rodriguez at 22.
I didn't see any Italian surnames anywhere near the top of the list.

One reason being that the pool of Italian surnames seems to be
comparatively large (in relation to the size of the population group
bearing such surnames). I sense that there's a comparative lack of
diversity in surnames of Spanish-surname-bearing US residents.

[Peter Duncanson]

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:25:29 +0000 (UTC), Salvatore Volatile

Post by Salvatore Volatile
For example, someone with the surname
"Rhys" is bound to be British. ("Rice", which I understand to be
etymologically related to "Rhys", is a pretty common US surname.) This
suggests to me that "Rhys" became more popular as a surname in Britain
after The Great Cultural Sundering. 19th-century Welsh nationalism?

In:
<http://www.census.gov/genealogy/names/dist.all.last>

Price (76) is more common than Rice(146).

Price comes from the Welsh "ap Rhys".

[Daniel al-Autistiqui]

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:46:39 +0800, Robert Bannister

Post by Robert Bannister

Post by Peter Duncanson
Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

I can't say I've come across that. I do use the "-eez" pronunciation
myself when trying to make clear to a third person what the spelling is,
but I wouldn't have thought it was normal. However, the way a person
pronounces his or her name is bound by no rules, and if they want to
pronounce Zgbyziak as Fanshaw, we must not argue.

I'd have to disagree with you there. I think that there *are* limits
regarding how distant the pronunciation of a name can be from its
spelling, granted that these limits are not always easy to define. I
suppose a person named "Zgbyziak" can pronounce it "Zig-bizz-ee-ack",
"Zig-bye-zee-ack", "Zig-bits-ee-ock", etc. -- depending on which one
they prefer. How many others on this group believe that it is
perfectly acceptable to pronounce it "Fanshaw"? That's where I would
draw the line, and if I ever met someone named Zgbyziak who insisted
on that pronunciation, I would argue with them.

The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)

daniel mcgrath

[Robert Bannister]

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:46:39 +0800, Robert Bannister

Post by Robert Bannister

Post by Peter Duncanson
Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

I can't say I've come across that. I do use the "-eez" pronunciation
myself when trying to make clear to a third person what the spelling is,
but I wouldn't have thought it was normal. However, the way a person
pronounces his or her name is bound by no rules, and if they want to
pronounce Zgbyziak as Fanshaw, we must not argue.

I'd have to disagree with you there. I think that there *are* limits
regarding how distant the pronunciation of a name can be from its
spelling, granted that these limits are not always easy to define. I
suppose a person named "Zgbyziak" can pronounce it "Zig-bizz-ee-ack",
"Zig-bye-zee-ack", "Zig-bits-ee-ock", etc. -- depending on which one
they prefer. How many others on this group believe that it is
perfectly acceptable to pronounce it "Fanshaw"? That's where I would
draw the line, and if I ever met someone named Zgbyziak who insisted
on that pronunciation, I would argue with them.

OK, I was exaggerating, but I knew a Maria Tomscani who pronounced her
surname "Tomasini".

[Stephen Calder]

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the time it
is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident physicist
Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes with Mavis.
Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television interview) I
always said it the other way.

[Robert Lieblich]

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the time it
is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident physicist
Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes with Mavis.
Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television interview) I
always said it the other way.

People pronounce as they pronounce. In California you will find a
county by the name of "Marin." It's pronounced muh-RIN. Many years
ago there was a basketball player who went from Duke to the NBA and
was traded to the Houston Rockets for Elvin Hayes. His surname is
"Marin." It's prounounced MEH-rin. A young lawyer soon to report for
work where I work is also surnamed "Marin," and we are informed that
he pronounces it as if spelled "Marine."

Who's right?

[Daniel al-Autistiqui]

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 22:12:51 -0400, Robert Lieblich

Post by Robert Lieblich

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the time it
is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident physicist
Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes with Mavis.
Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television interview) I
always said it the other way.

People pronounce as they pronounce. In California you will find a
county by the name of "Marin." It's pronounced muh-RIN. Many years
ago there was a basketball player who went from Duke to the NBA and
was traded to the Houston Rockets for Elvin Hayes. His surname is
"Marin." It's prounounced MEH-rin. A young lawyer soon to report for
work where I work is also surnamed "Marin," and we are informed that
he pronounces it as if spelled "Marine."

But is the second one "Merrin", or "Marrin", or "Mare-in"?

That's kind of what I mean about "accent".

daniel mcgrath

[Frank ess]

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the
time
it is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident
physicist Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes
with Mavis. Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television
interview) I always said it the other way.

You guys better decide which is good, and fast: I'm reading a
biography [1] of 1920s-1930s film and stage actress Marion Davies, and
my internal ear wants to hear it both ways whenever I read it. Hurry,
please. It's very tiring.

[1] She spoke into a recording device many years ago, and some modern
editors transcribed her stories and made notes and comments to align
it with historical reality.

[Stephen Calder]

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the time
it is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident
physicist Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes
with Mavis. Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television
interview) I always said it the other way.

You guys better decide which is good, and fast: I'm reading a biography
[1] of 1920s-1930s film and stage actress Marion Davies, and my internal
ear wants to hear it both ways whenever I read it. Hurry, please. It's
very tiring.
[1] She spoke into a recording device many years ago, and some modern
editors transcribed her stories and made notes and comments to align it
with historical reality.

Sorry, can't help you. Both are good.

[Peter Duncanson]

On Sat, 16 Sep 2006 16:48:08 +1000, Stephen Calder

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Stephen Calder

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)
daniel mcgrath

It's not accent. Davies is a common surname here and most of the time
it is pronounced to rhyme with navies. But Australian resident
physicist Paul Davies, UK born, pronounces his name Davis, rhymes
with Mavis. Until I heard him pronounce his name (in a television
interview) I always said it the other way.

You guys better decide which is good, and fast: I'm reading a biography
[1] of 1920s-1930s film and stage actress Marion Davies, and my internal
ear wants to hear it both ways whenever I read it. Hurry, please. It's
very tiring.
[1] She spoke into a recording device many years ago, and some modern
editors transcribed her stories and made notes and comments to align it
with historical reality.

Sorry, can't help you. Both are good.

I've heard three different pronunciations of Davies:
1. Daviss,
2. Davies rhyming with navies,
3. Dav-eez with the second syllable longer and more
stressed than in 2.

[Oleg Lego]

Post by Daniel al-Autistiqui
On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:46:39 +0800, Robert Bannister

Post by Robert Bannister

Post by Peter Duncanson
Generally maybe. I have come across a few Davieses who pronounced
the "-ies" as "-ease" ("eez").

I can't say I've come across that. I do use the "-eez" pronunciation
myself when trying to make clear to a third person what the spelling is,
but I wouldn't have thought it was normal. However, the way a person
pronounces his or her name is bound by no rules, and if they want to
pronounce Zgbyziak as Fanshaw, we must not argue.

I'd have to disagree with you there. I think that there *are* limits
regarding how distant the pronunciation of a name can be from its
spelling, granted that these limits are not always easy to define. I
suppose a person named "Zgbyziak" can pronounce it "Zig-bizz-ee-ack",
"Zig-bye-zee-ack", "Zig-bits-ee-ock", etc. -- depending on which one
they prefer. How many others on this group believe that it is
perfectly acceptable to pronounce it "Fanshaw"? That's where I would
draw the line, and if I ever met someone named Zgbyziak who insisted
on that pronunciation, I would argue with them.
The "Davis"/"Dave-eez" thing, incidentally, is something that I might
well regard as just a matter of accent. I always think of the name
"Davies" as ending with an "eez" sound. (Cf. "navies".)

Perhaps it's because I grew up in British Columbia, where flows the
Fraser River, that it really grates on me when someone pronounces
"Fraser" as though it were spelt "Frasier".

[Nick Spalding]

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Not the way I speak. Daviss and Daviz repectively.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Post by T.H. Entity

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

It's news to me. I was brought up in the UK (Southeast) and have always
distinguished Davis and Davies. Did I learn that from my Welsh mother?

Perce

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

My American wife (grew up in So. California) pronounces "Davies" the
same as "Davis."

Perce

[Oleg Lego]

Post by T.H. Entity
On 14 Sep 2006 10:21:36 -0700, "Jerry Friedman"

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

In BrE Davis and Davies are homophones: ['deivIs]. They form one of
those pairs that mean you always have to ask their bearers how they
spell it (Stephens/Stevens, etc.).

Jeez. I don't know why we bother to spell thing differently. You lot
just keep on pronouncing it all the same anyway. Why don't we just cut
to the change and simplify spelling for once and for all, by having
just one spelling for all words. Make it a short one, so it'll be
quicker to write things, OK?

OK, OK OK OK OK, OK ; OK OK OK.

[LFS]

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

I have no idea, but I have recently discovered Robertson Davies, to my
great delight. Is the other thread about him? If so, please direct me there.

[Jerry Friedman]

Post by LFS

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

I have no idea, but I have recently discovered Robertson Davies, to my
great delight.

He delights me greatly too. Should we have a Davies thread? My
favorites are /World of Wonders/ and /What's Bred in the Bone/.

Post by LFS
Is the other thread about him? If so, please direct me there.

No, I merely referred to something in /The Table Talk of Samuel
Marchbanks/ to bolster what I was saying to some sci.langers about an
American pronunciation of "seagull".

If you haven't read the Marchbanks books, you probably should.

[Jonathan Morton]

Jerry Friedman wrote:

[Davis/Davies]

I suppose we should be careful here, since the correct pronunciation of
a name is clearly the pronunciation of that name that the owner uses.
Both of the people called "Davies" that I have known well pronounced it
"Davis".

Post by Jerry Friedman
No, I merely referred to something in /The Table Talk of Samuel
Marchbanks/ to bolster what I was saying to some sci.langers about an
American pronunciation of "seagull".
If you haven't read the Marchbanks books, you probably should.

Is that Marchbanks or Marjoribanks?

Regards

Jonathan

[Default User]

Post by Jonathan Morton
[Davis/Davies]
I suppose we should be careful here, since the correct pronunciation
of a name is clearly the pronunciation of that name that the owner
uses. Both of the people called "Davies" that I have known well
pronounced it "Davis".

Post by Jerry Friedman
No, I merely referred to something in /The Table Talk of Samuel
Marchbanks/ to bolster what I was saying to some sci.langers about
an American pronunciation of "seagull".
If you haven't read the Marchbanks books, you probably should.

Is that Marchbanks or Marjoribanks?

Those whacky Brits and their pronunciations. I watched an episode of
the TV show "Campion" the other day. It featured the town of
Pontsbright, which the ones familiar with it called "Pontsbury".




Brian

[LFS]

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by LFS

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

I have no idea, but I have recently discovered Robertson Davies, to my
great delight.

He delights me greatly too. Should we have a Davies thread? My
favorites are /World of Wonders/ and /What's Bred in the Bone/.

I read the Cornish Trilogy over the summer with great pleasure. It's a
long time since I've encountered an author who writes whole paragraphs
that bear quoting. Or one who writes about paintings in a way that makes
it easy for the reader to visualise. His female characters are a little
two-dimensional, perhaps.

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by LFS
Is the other thread about him? If so, please direct me there.

No, I merely referred to something in /The Table Talk of Samuel
Marchbanks/ to bolster what I was saying to some sci.langers about an
American pronunciation of "seagull".
If you haven't read the Marchbanks books, you probably should.

Thanks for the tip!

[Stephen Calder]

Post by LFS

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by LFS
I have no idea, but I have recently discovered Robertson Davies, to my
great delight.

He delights me greatly too. Should we have a Davies thread? My
favorites are /World of Wonders/ and /What's Bred in the Bone/.

I read the Cornish Trilogy over the summer with great pleasure. It's a
long time since I've encountered an author who writes whole paragraphs
that bear quoting. Or one who writes about paintings in a way that makes
it easy for the reader to visualise. His female characters are a little
two-dimensional, perhaps.

You just reminded me that I have a one-volume copy of the Cornish
Trilogy sitting on my bookshelf. You've inspired me to get it down and
read it.

It looks like a wet weekend coming up here so the timing is perfect.

Thank you.

[j***@yahoo.com]

...

Post by LFS

Post by Jerry Friedman
If you haven't read the Marchbanks books, you probably should.

Thanks for the tip!

Maybe I should add that they're not a bit like the Cornish trilogy--not
beinig novels, for one thing--but I think you'd like them anyway.

(On the other hand, Davies's novels other after the first three /are/
like the Cornish trilogy, insofar as one good book can be like
another.)

[Stephen Calder]

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

I don't know. But the physicist Paul Davies, English-born, pronounces
his name "Davis".

[sage]

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

Day-vease. He's *quite* interesting as an academic novelist. His plays,
on the other hand ...

Cheers, Sage

[Jerry Friedman]

Post by sage

Post by Jerry Friedman
While trying to look up the Canadian writer Robertson Davies for
another thread, I found that Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of
literature says his surname is pronounced like "Davis", or in the U.S.
like "Davy's"
<http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790426&id=eKNK1YwHcQ4C&pg=PA304&lpg=PA304&dq=%22Robertson+Davies%22+da-vez&sig=uGNyhvhY2BUPJudIWYGK3PrSVp8>
or <http://tinyurl.com/fykob>. Can this be true? Have I been
pronouncing his name differently from the way he did, all these years?

Day-vease. He's *quite* interesting as an academic novelist. His plays,
on the other hand ...

What's an academic novelist?

I haven't seen his plays or his opera. I haven't seen them advertised
around here. Maybe that's okay.

Thanks to all who helped with the pronunciation.