Will O'Brien Posted 25 November , 2003 Share Posted 25 November , 2003 You may all recall a thread from a couple of weeks ago examining the proper pronunciation of Ypres. I was listening to a commentary today when Loos was mentioned. I have (probably in my ignorance) always pronounced this as ‘Lose’ (as in not to win). The commentator pronounced it as ‘Loose’ (as in I forgot to put a belt on so my trousers are loose). Would anyone care to comment as I am determined to shake off my ‘Englishman abroad’ image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Hi, In France the pronunciation is "loss" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 'Loose' is the pronunciation that seems to be in vogue at the moment with battlefield guides, Richard Holmes etc. I am sure that at one time people, including the veteran I visited the site with on a WFA tour many years ago, pronounced it simply as the plural of 'Loo', i.e 'Lose'. Perhaps it's become a bit like astronomers desperately putting the emphasis on the first syllable of 'Uranus'. I missed the repeat of the Great War episode on the battle. How did Sir Michael Redgrave and any interviewed veterans pronounce it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 The correct French pronunciation is lo:s (a long o without the w-sound). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 How did Sir Michael Redgrave and any interviewed veterans pronounce it? I am certain that no Tommy would have said "lo:s" rather than "Loos". These were the people that gave us "Wipers", "White Sheet", and "Little ****** Beak" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 26 November , 2003 Share Posted 26 November , 2003 How did Sir Michael Redgrave and any interviewed veterans pronounce it? I am certain that no Tommy would have said "lo:s" rather than "Loos". These were the people that gave us "Wipers", "White Sheet", and "Little ****** Beak" Looks as if my last post did not pass the censor. What I wrote was the Tommies argot for "Lekker Botter Beke" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 26 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2003 Thanks to all who responded to this query Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 1 May , 2005 Share Posted 1 May , 2005 I am certain that no Tommy would have said "lo:s" rather than "Loos". These were the people that gave us "Wipers", "White Sheet", and "Little ****** Beak" <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In Robert Kearney's book "Silent Voices: The story of the 10th Battalion AIF in Australia, Egypt, Gallipoli, France and Belgium during the Great War 1914-1918", Robert Kearney states that: the Aussies coined the term "Wipers" for 2 reasons: 1. they couldn't pronounce Ypres, and 2. they could't spell Ypres. I am sure some Tommies would disagree? Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 1 May , 2005 Share Posted 1 May , 2005 Correct English pronunciation as per Tommies dictionary would be Looze!! Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 1 May , 2005 Share Posted 1 May , 2005 Roop My French godmother, when asked, pronounced it Loss. (she is originally from Arras) Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 1 May , 2005 Share Posted 1 May , 2005 Max, I ahve no doubt you are correct in your pronunciation of Luwzh (northern twang) Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat McLachlan Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 While we're on the subject of pronunciation, I read somewhere recently that Aussie troops (and I'm sure UK as well) affectionately referred to the town of Albert as 'Bert'. This obviously suggests they said 'Al-BERT' (as in the man's name) and not 'Al-BEAR' (as in the correct French pronunciation). As I type this, I've thought of another example: Armentieres being pronounced 'Ar-men-teers', as per the famous song. I'm sure there are hundreds more. Conversely, the slang terms for Mouquet Farm, 'Mucky' Farm and 'Moo-cow' Farm, both suggest the correct French pronunciation ('Moo-kay') was commonly used. Not sure if any of this means anything, but it's interesting nonetheless. Cheers, Mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Sheldon Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Since we have drifted more generally onto Tommy's pronunciation of things foreign, here are a couple of examples from the Somme near Grandcourt where the original German trench names were taken over and given a twist. 'Boom Ravine' began life as 'Baum Mulde', meaning 'Tree Gully' and 'Desire Trench', of all wierd battlefield appellations, came from 'Dessauer Graben', meaning 'Dessau Trench'. Dessau is a medium sized town betwen Magdeburg and Leipzig and in German, with few exceptions, adjectives are produced from place names by adding 'er' to the name. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Bachelor Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 In that wonderful 1934 documentary Forgotten Men, both the presenter Sir John Hammerton and Piper Laidlaw VC refer to it as Looze. Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Pronunciation; the British are especially good at mispronouncing words in most languages and it is a national art form and institution. One though has always puzzled me. White sheet - I should have thought that your average Tommy, especially the Londoners, would have pronounced it with the second syllable rhyming with the first - if you get my drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickersms Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 I am sitting in a French Bank in London surrounded by linguistically ignorant Brits (e.g. me) and linguistically brilliant French colleagues. The opinion amongst them seems to be that the nearest way of pronouncing Loos is "Loss, but with a closed elongated o, i.e. Lows". I didn't even know what a closed elongated o was... We also have linguistically brilliant Brits, but they all work in Paris, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt....... Pronunciation; the British are especially good at mispronouncing words in most languages and it is a national art form and institution. One though has always puzzled me. White sheet - I should have thought that your average Tommy, especially the Londoners, would have pronounced it with the second syllable rhyming with the first - if you get my drift. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 I always say the Americans win the battle of the loos and if you go to an ABMC cemetery you will agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Roop My French godmother, when asked, pronounced it Loss. (she is originally from Arras) Andy <{POST_SNAPBACK}> you mean AARRRRAAAZZZZZ surely. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Hello Malcolm My Godmother has lived in California for many years now and has developed a singular accent, very similar to a female "Fronk the wedding planner" character out of "Father of the Bride" starring Steve Martin. Lovely lady though Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 institution. One though has always puzzled me. White sheet - I should have thought that your average Tommy, especially the Londoners, would have pronounced it with the second syllable rhyming with the first - if you get my drift. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's how I still pronounce it today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen binks Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Whenever out and about in France and Belgium any conversation oppotunity with the locals will centre around the local pronunciation of wherever. I always thought Ginchy was pronounced with a hard G... not so says Jonny Frenchman...Jenshee is the French way. Steve (a bonus point for the correct pronunciation of Reims!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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