Re: pronunciation

[Tim Meyen <tim...>]

Robert Cohen wrote:
> 
> Can anyone on the list--presumably with some knowledge of Hungarian?--help
> to clarify how to pronounce (Oedeon/Oedoen) Partos's first name in
> English--that is, assuming that it *isn't* (or is it?) "Eden," however
> *that's* to be pronounced?  Can someone provide familiar words whose
> pronunciation would be a guide to how this name should be pronounced?
> 
> Many thanks again --
> 
> Robert Cohen

'Eden' is a very rough approximation of how a Hungarian speaker would
pronounce "ödön" (ie. "odon" with short umlauts over the O's).  As Paul
wrote, the "O" with a short umlaut (two dots) over it is pronounced much
as in German, or like the French "eu".

If you aren't familiar with German or French pronunciation, imagine the
sound as being between "O" and "E". Try saying "O", and then "E" slowly
with no gap between, but stopping halfway before you have fully formed
the "E" sound.  If that isn't working, you can probably find a French or
German phrasebook with more tips on how to pronounce this sound.  (You
might find a Hungarian phrasebook too, but they generally say something
helpful like "pronounce as in German").

There are probably a few English words that use this sound, but a lot
depends on how you pronounce English words.  I have heard Americans
(from the South? I'm not sure) who pronounce the "u" in "Bud" so it ends
up surprisingly similar to the Hungarian "ö", if that's any help.  :)

I suspect the spelling "Oedeon" to be a typo.  Or, if it's correct, his
name is not like the Hungarian name, which uses the same vowel sound twice.

Tim Meyen

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