How do you pronounce "Marquise"?

[Tuckins1]

I have heard it pronounced both ways. I say "mar-kee", and i'm wondering if its different based on region. How do you say it?

 

[rubybeth]

I say mar-kees, like this pronounciation guide:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marquise

 

[orbaya]

I am in New England I say "Mar-kee". That is what I hear most people say around here. I wonder if it's one of those regional things?

 

[AGBF]

The question was posed in this thread: "How do you pronounce 'Marquise'? "

It isn't a matter of opinion; it's a matter of fact.

The word, "Marquise" would always be pronounced, "mar-keese" if it were written in French. You did not give us any context for where the word was to be found, however.

In French nobility, the titles used were "Marquis" and "Marquise" pronounced "Mar-kee" (for a male) and "Mar-keese" (for a female).

In English nobility, the titles used are "Marquis" (or "Marquess") pronounced "Mar-kwiss" (for a male) and "Marchioness" pronounced "Mar-chon-ness" (for a female).

If a stone is called a "Marquise" stone in English, it really should be ronounced "Mar-keese" as it would be in French...why else add the final "e"? But I wouldn't think gem cutters are held to any set of standards!

Deb/AGBF

 

[Enerchi]

I say mar-KEE. I've never called my ering a mar-KEESE or mar-QWESS. Just sounds weird to me

 

[JewelFreak]

Deb is right. It's a French word & pronounced Mar-KEEZE. Only if the final "e" weren't there, would it be Mar-KEE.

 

[Begonia]

Set it E-W and I call it fabulous...

 

[kenny]

I once had a friend tell me quite proudly Van Gogh is properly pronounced ________ because that is how it is pronounced in Holland.

I replied, "Thank you. If I go to Holland and learn to speak Dutch I will make a point of pronouncing it that way while I'm there. Upon returning to America I'll switch back to the American pronunciation."

 

[Tuckins1]

I know how the pronunciation guide says it should be pronounced, I am just curious about personal pronunciation. Some people just say things differently. I wasn't asking what is the "right" way or "wrong" way, just how you personally say it.

 

[iheartscience]

I say mar-kee. I can't say I've ever heard anyone say mar-keese, actually.

 

[JuneRose]

I say mar-keese, like the French -I've never heard anyone say it any other way in the uk

 

[mrs taylor]

Mar-keese.

And my art history profs drove me nuts with the pronunciation of Van Gogh.

 

[pandabee]

I agree with the French pronunciation...if it has an E at the end, the s should be sounded. However, I feel like it's more of a "keeze" than "keese" if I remember my French pronunciation rules correctly!

 

[AGBF]

I know how the pronunciation guide says it should be pronounced, I am just curious about personal pronunciation. Some people just say things differently. I wasn't asking what is the "right" way or "wrong" way, just how you personally say it.

For people who enjoy grammar and words, knowing the correct pronunciation of a word can be a fascinating thing.

I love to know about regional differences in pronunciation of words, for example the word "humor" which I pronounce "hew-mer" and my neighbors 40 miles away in New York City pronounce "yew-mer". I enjoyed taking the quiz posted on Pricescope about regional dialects and was interested to find that I, although I grew up in New England, have an accent that is (as I recall) like that of Buffalo, New York/Niagara Falls, etcetera. A heartland, USA accent.

I also enjoy learning the different words used in different regions of the US for an iem, like "soda" and "pop", etcetera.

There are, however, some words which are "non-negotiable". Those words are, when pronounced other than the way the dictionary suggests they be pronounced, simply being pronounced incorrectly. An example of this might be the word, "flaccid", which is pronounced, "flax-id". If someone pronounces it differently, he is simply pronouncing it incorrectly, not whimsically or creatively.

I misused the word, "penultimate" a few weeks ago here and was promptly skewered by fellow grammar buff, ksinger.

The question is, when does use of a word change from being something that should be within someone's personal preference to being something that should be dictated by the rules of grammar, syntax and spelling? And, of course, there is a fine line between what is whimsy and what is sloppiness.

Regardless of how clearly sloppy a poster is, however, I don't ususally point out his grammatical or spelling errors to fellow posters unless I know that he is, like me, a die-hard grammar buff. I am not here to try to hurt or shame anyone. I am here for fun. The better someone's grammar, the more likely I am to comment on it! That's why I sometimes talk to Haven about her grammar!

Deb/AGBF

 

[orbaya]

Mar-keese.

And my art history profs drove me nuts with the pronunciation of Van Gogh.

I've grown up saying "Mar-kee" and so I'm wondering about the pronunciation of Van Gogh. I guess it never occurred to me that his name could be pronounced multiple ways. I was taught throughout school that it was 'Van Go"....how would you say it?

 

[mrs taylor]

Mar-keese.

And my art history profs drove me nuts with the pronunciation of Van Gogh.

I've grown up saying "Mar-kee" and so I'm wondering about the pronunciation of Van Gogh. I guess it never occurred to me that his name could be pronounced multiple ways. I was taught throughout school that it was 'Van Go"....how would you say it?

I can't even write it out. I can come as close as possible by saying "Van Hawghgck." lol. like hoc (Latin pronunciation) but it's not a hard c. There isn't an English sound that comes close, really. It happens way in the back of your throat. At least that's how all my professors did it. Almost like clearing their collective throats.

 

[JewelFreak]

You can't write how van Gogh is pronounced in Dutch. Written correctly, the v in van is not capitalized. The 2 g's are soft -- pronounced as if you're clearing your throat. The o is short, similar to the o in hook. It's not the loveliest language in the world! DH's last name (he is Dutch, didn't come to the U.S. till he was 29) is impossible anywhere but Holland, Belgium, or South Africa: Oosthoek (actually easy to say, though you can't tell from the spelling.) Needless to say, I use my maiden name, which can be pronounced anywhere!

Deb -- I am a great lover of grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, everything to do with words. I agree a thousand percent with you on everything you wrote above, too. Have major peeves about misuse of language, common now because schools do not teach it, not because the speaker is a dummy. Last night during an interview, the CEO of a major int'l bank (American guy) had me grinding my teeth -- he said, "Myself and my wife went...." & used personal pronouns wrong several times. I thought, "HOW did this guy get where he is??" This will date me: I diagram sentences in my head for fun!

Feel free to lay into me if I spout out something wrong! I'll love talking about it.

--- Laurie

 

[mrs taylor]

You can't write how van Gogh is pronounced in Dutch. Written correctly, the v in van is not capitalized. The 2 g's are soft -- pronounced as if you're clearing your throat. The o is short, similar to the o in hook. It's not the loveliest language in the world! DH's last name (he is Dutch, didn't come to the U.S. till he was 29) is impossible anywhere but Holland, Belgium, or South Africa: Oosthoek (actually easy to say, though you can't tell from the spelling.) Needless to say, I use my maiden name, which can be pronounced anywhere!

Deb -- I am a great lover of grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, everything to do with words. I agree a thousand percent with you on everything you wrote above, too. Have major peeves about misuse of language, common now because schools do not teach it, not because the speaker is a dummy. Last night during an interview, the CEO of a major int'l bank (American guy) had me grinding my teeth -- he said, "Myself and my wife went...." & used personal pronouns wrong several times. I thought, "HOW did this guy get where he is??" This will date me: I diagram sentences in my head for fun!

Feel free to lay into me if I spout out something wrong! I'll love talking about it.

--- Laurie

Ditto to all, but especially to the bolded! It's a result of years of Latin though. lol.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Deb is right. It's a French word & pronounced Mar-KEEZE. Only if the final "e" weren't there, would it be Mar-KEE.

Ditto....mar-keeze is correct.

Marquee is a different word (like the sign above a theater advertising a show).

I know I am probably sloppy on here because I think texting and emailing have made us more casual in written communication. (Also, my other excuse is that late at night, there is no telling what mistakes I might make because of fatigue!) But, I was taught grammar and I am sad to see the decline of teaching grammar and spelling in schools. It is a huge problem.

 

[Skippy123]

I have always said it the 1st way. now that I think of it, I heard both ways?? hmmm

 

[Skippy123]

The question was posed in this thread: "How do you pronounce 'Marquise'? "

It isn't a matter of opinion; it's a matter of fact.

The word, "Marquise" would always be pronounced, "mar-keese" if it were written in French. You did not give us any context for where the word was to be found, however.

In French nobility, the titles used were "Marquis" and "Marquise" pronounced "Mar-kee" (for a male) and "Mar-keese" (for a female).

In English nobility, the titles used are "Marquis" (or "Marquess") pronounced "Mar-kwiss" (for a male) and "Marchioness" pronounced "Mar-chon-ness" (for a female).

If a stone is called a "Marquise" stone in English, it really should be ronounced "Mar-keese" as it would be in French...why else add the final "e"? But I wouldn't think gem cutters are held to any set of standards!

Deb/AGBF

oh!!! thanks for posting this because I was wondering and now I know! okay I say Mar-keese. I have heard Markee but like DS thought of the sign about the theater. Interesting that it varies!!!!

 

[KaeKae]

Having taken some French, I know that it should be pronounced "mar-keese," but in relation to gemstones, I say "mar-kee" because that's how I've always heard it pronounced. Either way, it's a pretty shape, and I wish I could find a few thousand dollars under a rock somewhere, so I could snatch a great one up now, before the shape comes back into fashion again.

 

[distracts]

I say mar-keese - I've never heard it differently. I am in Texas. I also used to read the dictionary for fun. And when I say "used to" I mean as recently as last week, and I will probably take it up again in a while. Actually way more fun is the etymological dictionary - I highly recommend reading one to word nuts. Made even better by knowledge of Latin.

As to proper pronunciation/usage... I am less of a stickler in, say, pricescope postings than I am in published material for work - I can often be found emailing our media consultants two paragraphs of errors they need to be fixing for every page they write (which may say more about our consultants' grammar ability than mine). In speech and in casual writing, I take lots of creative license (which, by the way, is a word I spell incorrectly 9 out of 10 times). I enjoy making up silly words.

 

[zoebartlett]

I say "mar-kee" but I've heard it as "mar-kees" before.

 

[rubybeth]

There are, however, some words which are "non-negotiable". Those words are, when pronounced other than the way the dictionary suggests they be pronounced, simply being pronounced incorrectly. An example of this might be the word, "flaccid", which is pronounced, "flax-id". If someone pronounces it differently, he is simply pronouncing it incorrectly, not whimsically or creatively.

Deb/AGBF

I think flaccid must be one of those regional pronounciation things, since Merriam-Webster lists the way that I pronounce it as one of the two options: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaccid (I say ˈfla-səd).

I am sorry if the way I originally posted seemed rude, I meant to write more but had to run so just hit submit. I am a Minnesotan, and probably have a 'funny accent' to a lot of Americans, but I did take 3 years of French, and was an English major and took linguistics, History of the English Language, and was an editor. I am very much a descriptive linguist, meaning I am more interested in the ways people use words than in making sure they use them correctly (perscriptive linguist). I say 'mar-keez' probably because the first time I encountered the word, I looked it up in the dictionary or asked my parents how to say it.

 

[blacksand]

I think flaccid must be one of those regional pronounciation things, since Merriam-Webster lists the way that I pronounce it as one of the two options: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaccid (I say ˈfla-səd).

I am sorry if the way I originally posted seemed rude, I meant to write more but had to run so just hit submit. I am a Minnesotan, and probably have a 'funny accent' to a lot of Americans, but I did take 3 years of French, and was an English major and took linguistics, History of the English Language, and was an editor. I am very much a descriptive linguist, meaning I am more interested in the ways people use words than in making sure they use them correctly (perscriptive linguist). I say 'mar-keez' probably because the first time I encountered the word, I looked it up in the dictionary or asked my parents how to say it.

Agreed, both with the pronunciation of "flaccid" and with the descriptive linguistic assessment. I was born a language nerd and became a linguist, and as such, I battle my prescriptive tendencies on a daily basis. Although certain pronunciations and constructions irk me, I try to let my fascination with language change outweigh my snobby inner prescriptivist. Language is meant to change, and sloppy errors are often the catalysts. That's where we get words like "pea" from.

All that said, I do say "mar-keez." I was a French major. But I don't pronounce it as I would in French if I'm speaking English (i.e., guttural "r", etc.). I know how it's pronounced in French, but when I'm speaking English, I speak English.

 

[mimi123]

marquis = mar-kee
marquise = markeez

 

[AGBF]

I was born a language nerd and became a linguist, and as such, I battle my prescriptive tendencies on a daily basis. Although certain pronunciations and constructions irk me, I try to let my fascination with language change outweigh my snobby inner prescriptivist. Language is meant to change, and sloppy errors are often the catalysts. That's where we get words like "pea" from.

We have discussed the point of view of the linguistics professional versus the grammarian on Pricescope in the past; I don't know if you were here for any of those discussions, blacksand. I do, however, understand the two directions in which you are pulled. I am not pulled as much in the direction of letting language go to hell in a handbasket. I really like the elegance of English as it was spoken by well educated people 200 years ago. I really appreciate the good writing that was done then. I am hoping that the reading level of all English speakers will not deteriorate to the level of rappers and texters who will then be unable to read Dickens or even To Kill A Mockingbird in the future.

Having said that, I realize that language does not exist in a vacuum. I think that there has to be a force pulling for the grammar of the current language-although perhaps it need not be as strict as the French force-if a language is to survive. And yet I know that miracle languages have survived in vacuums. I know that sometimes the closeness of a group speaking a language in isolation has done more to keep that language intact than any forced regulations from outside ever could have.

AGBF

 

[blacksand]

I think that there has to be a force pulling for the grammar of the current language-although perhaps it need not be as strict as the French force-if a language is to survive.

I believe that force is (or should be) our education system. A force like the French Académie is a bit silly in that it is powerless to enforce its rulings, but a more powerful force could quickly turn tyrannical. I think the goal should be to teach the English language in its current form, as correctly as we can, but with the understanding that change can and will happen and is not to be feared. That's the closest I can come to a compromise between the part of me that wants to punch people who say "between you and me" and the part of me that finds it fascinating how such diverse languages as Persian, Greek and English could all have evolved from a common root (talk about language change!). That's why I'm changing careers, and rather than pursue a PhD in Linguistics, I'm becoming an elementary school teacher.

In other words, don't worry. I'll teach those kids a thing or two.

 

[AGBF]

I believe that force is (or should be) our education system. A force like the French Académie is a bit silly in that it is powerless to enforce its rulings, but a more powerful force could quickly turn tyrannical. I think the goal should be to teach the English language in its current form, as correctly as we can, but with the understanding that change can and will happen and is not to be feared. That's the closest I can come to a compromise between the part of me that wants to punch people who say "between you and me" and the part of me that finds it fascinating how such diverse languages as Persian, Greek and English could all have evolved from a common root (talk about language change!). That's why I'm changing careers, and rather than pursue a PhD in Linguistics, I'm becoming an elementary school teacher.

What lucky children! How far along are you in your career change?

I have two nieces of whom I am very proud (as well as a 20 year-old daughter who is very bright, but who struggles against mental illness and is finding even community college a challenge). My elder niece, after graduating from an excellent college with a double major in Spanish and Italian, spent two years living in Spain working for the government as a teaching assistant teaching English in the public schools. She had absolutely no training in teaching, however. (My brother was glad that she declared a major in something other than dance. I remember him saying that all Amanda seemed to do at college was dance!) Amanda is a natural linguist, however. She spent one summer in Florence studying Italian. She has a Senegalese boyfriend, so she learned Wolof and is now studying French only because French is spoken in Senegal. She also speaks some Portuguese. But my point (my daughter is now calling me), is that this summer she went to a special program that certified her to teach and she she got hired at a high school 12 minutes from my brother's home in Connecticut where she grew up and has been living again since she returned from Spain. She is happy and excited about all her classes and I think her students will be very lucky to have someone who loves language and loves teaching it. I feel the same way about your prospective students.

Deb