first lesson
#16
Re: first lesson
I can't say that I ever found ordering un "con leche" difficult. There again, some Brits never managed to pronounce "plaza" or "San Miguel" correctly. For me it tends to be the longer words with 3 or more syllables, like Valladolid, or alzahar, that I have to work on.
#17
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: first lesson
I have trouble with the rolling 'rrr' as well, even though a native andaluz tried to teach me, I just can't do it.
We have a small town near us, named Ugijar, I hadn't a clue how to pronounce it when we first arrived.
Listened to the natives and finally got it: Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I).
We have a small town near us, named Ugijar, I hadn't a clue how to pronounce it when we first arrived.
Listened to the natives and finally got it: Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I).
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: first lesson
A lot of expats, and there are a lot of them, can't pronounce the name of the town they live in: Torrevieja. It has it all, the double R, the V, the J, and the emphasis is on the last syllable.
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,368
Re: first lesson
Yes, it's written Ugíjar, so naturally the stress falls on the "I". Friends of ours have a place in Otívar, and that suffers the same, I've heard the "O" and the "VAR" stressed, but rarely the "í", except by locals of course.. My brother pronounces Vejer something like Vecker.
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,368
Re: first lesson
This is from a Spanish-English webpage, with suggested pronunciations, some sound weird to me!
surprise (serpráids) - sorpresa; extrañar;
exactly (igdsǽktli) - exactamente
happen (jǽpən) - pasar; suceder; suceder
harry (jéri) - asolar; acosar; hostigar
manage (mǽnədch) - lograr; administrar;
used (yúdsd) - acostumbrado; usado
advantage (ædvǽntidch) - ventaja
surprise (serpráids) - sorpresa; extrañar;
exactly (igdsǽktli) - exactamente
happen (jǽpən) - pasar; suceder; suceder
harry (jéri) - asolar; acosar; hostigar
manage (mǽnədch) - lograr; administrar;
used (yúdsd) - acostumbrado; usado
advantage (ædvǽntidch) - ventaja
#23
Re: first lesson
Torrevieja ..... agree with Lynn. Slight emphasis on the 2nd bit of the dipthong, I'd have thought...??
Ugijar (can't figure how to put a tilde)...
scampicat described the local pronunciation as 'Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I)'.
Accent I understand, cos of the tilde. I'd have assumed it would be 'ooheeja' for want of a better English way of describing it
But then of course places have different pronunciations, as we all know. My late aunt's home village of Calonge - initially I always said calonhe.... but figured after a few times hearing her say calonshe that of course we're in Catalunya!!!
......is there an accepted way of expressing in 'english' lettering how the j tends to be pronounced? cos h obviously is fractionally too soft, k too hard.
Ugijar (can't figure how to put a tilde)...
scampicat described the local pronunciation as 'Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I)'.
Accent I understand, cos of the tilde. I'd have assumed it would be 'ooheeja' for want of a better English way of describing it
But then of course places have different pronunciations, as we all know. My late aunt's home village of Calonge - initially I always said calonhe.... but figured after a few times hearing her say calonshe that of course we're in Catalunya!!!
......is there an accepted way of expressing in 'english' lettering how the j tends to be pronounced? cos h obviously is fractionally too soft, k too hard.
Last edited by fionamw; Sep 25th 2011 at 8:10 am. Reason: usual berkdom
#24
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: first lesson
Torrevieja ..... agree with Lynn. Slight emphasis on the 2nd bit of the dipthong, I'd have thought...??
Ugijar (can't figure how to put a tilde)...
scampicat described the local pronunciation as 'Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I)'.
Accent I understand, cos of the tilde. I'd have assumed it would be 'ooheeja' for want of a better English way of describing it
But then of course places have different pronunciations, as we all know. My late aunt's home village of Calonge - initially I always said calonhe.... but figured after a few times hearing her say calonshe that of course we're in Catalunya!!!
......is there an accepted way of expressing in 'english' lettering how the j tends to be pronounced? cos h obviously is fractionally too soft, k too hard.
Ugijar (can't figure how to put a tilde)...
scampicat described the local pronunciation as 'Ug-I-kar. (accent on the I)'.
Accent I understand, cos of the tilde. I'd have assumed it would be 'ooheeja' for want of a better English way of describing it
But then of course places have different pronunciations, as we all know. My late aunt's home village of Calonge - initially I always said calonhe.... but figured after a few times hearing her say calonshe that of course we're in Catalunya!!!
......is there an accepted way of expressing in 'english' lettering how the j tends to be pronounced? cos h obviously is fractionally too soft, k too hard.
#26
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: first lesson
How about Almegijar? (Tilde on the i)
Last edited by scampicat; Sep 25th 2011 at 8:25 am.
#29
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: first lesson
You are correct : Al-me-GEE-kha. Looked unpronounceable to me when I first saw it!
#30
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Living in a good place
Posts: 8,824
Re: first lesson
Have heard Brits who live in Fuengirola call FuengArola. Or usually Fuengy! The LL in marbella is ignored by lots. Miguel is often pronounced as MigWell. There seems to be a few who live in Friggy