Thiepval

[Guest stsutcliffe]

Anyone...

I'm a long-time student of the Great War. But interestingly I've never heard anyone actually verbalize the name "Thiepval".

Can someone let me know the correct phonetical pronunciation.....

Thanks.

SS

Dallas, TX USA

[iain mchenry]

SS,

I am nearly sure it is pronounced as:

"Tee-ep-val"

Hope this is right

Iain

[Robert Dunlop]

Correct, depending on how one pronounces the 'eee's

The 'h' is silent.

Robert

[CROONAERT]

Like a lot of the pronunciations of places over there. It depends how you want to pronounce it. Like a local?, like an Englishman speaking the language?, like a Frenchman from another province? etc. etc.. (eg. my dad speaks fluent German with a Berlin accent, whereas I learnt it in a Rhineland accent (apparently!), so we pronounce words differently). An example in French is the pronunciation for the word for "one". Is it "oon", maybe it's "ern", then again, it might be "ann". They're all correct. It just depends on the accent.

Dave.

[Desmond7]

Most common pronunciation I've heard over here - and it is in all honesty entirely wrong - is 'Theepvil' .

Des

[Max Poilu]

I am with Iain although the 'p' in 'ep' can be lightly stressed. However, some English people say 'tee val' and some say even say 'teep val'.

[stevew]

I'm in the Teep val camp

[Apache IP]

Wonderful thread! Would anyone care to enlighten me on "Ypres". I also have several others.

Hooked on Phonics,

Barry

[Max Poilu]

Wonderful thread! Would anyone care to enlighten me on "Ypres".

Try 'ee - perr', 'ee - pur', or similar! Phonetically it's difficult to get this one across correctly.

Loos is one that has confused me, I always thought it was 'Loozz' but I seem to remember when visiting the tunnels Isabelle Polowski (sp?) said it is 'loss'

[Desmond7]

CAMBRAI - is it:-

Combray or Combreye? Or Cam as in Camera?

[katb]

Think its the former, but used to have a history teacher who called it Cambria!

[Desmond7]

Combray it is then! Cheers.

Des

[Max Poilu]

I thought it was the latter! - 'com - bry'.

[katb]

I thought it was the latter! - 'com - bry'.

lol!

Are there any french people in the house?

[Hooge]

The correst phonetical pronounciation is TEE-EP_VAL.Hope this helps.John

[CROONAERT]

Wonderful thread! Would anyone care to enlighten me on "Ypres".

Try 'ee - perr', 'ee - pur', or similar! Phonetically it's difficult to get this one across correctly.

Once again, it's another of those that you can pronounce differently and still be correct .

The Dutch "Ieper" is pronounced, locally as "ee - perr" with a ""cut" and "rolled" "r". However, the pronunciation of the French "Ypres" is more like "ee-pray", whereas the most common English pronunciation of "Ypres" sounds more like "eepr".

Stick to "Wipers", it's easier and is just as understood!

Dave.

[Somme1916]

I'm inclined to pronounce it Thee ep val, with the T.H. but I must agree the Tee is probably right. I also pronounce Ypres, eep ra, but as so many of you already know we Yanks are always screwing up everyone's language even the Queen's

Jon

[Borden Battery]

Many soldiers in the CEF called Ypres .... "Wipers"

[Guest 1913Erfurt]

So I guess it would be plausible to remark that at some point during the Great War, during a torrential downpour while riding in a truck, the driver may have stated to its passengers, "Guess I better put on the Ypres........."

[SPotter]

Bonjour,

Je parle un peu de français, donc je voudrais vous donner mes idées.

Sorry - showing off.

Ypres - In my book wipers - can be nothing else. In french ee-pr. It's harder to put in phontics than say it. Should have paid more attention to my 7 year-old son's Jolly-Phonics homework!

Cambrai - ai is pronounced simply 'a' as in abc... so it's cam-bray, though it can also be a nasal com-bray, just depends on how posh you are.

Je vous remercie de votre attention, et bon nuit!

Etienne.

PS: If there are any real French speakers on the Forum, my apologies!!