OT: pronouncing a French name

[Gordon Coale]

He never used a rangefinder but was one of the great street photographers. Many consider him the first street photographer. His name was Eugene Atget and he used an 8x10 view camera. Actually an 18x24cm view camera. I know we have some French speaking members. How is Atget pronounced? Is the g hard or soft? This has been bothering me for years. Help!

 

[RML]

Soft g, both in Eugene and in Atget.

 

[Gordon Coale]

Thanks! What about the et in Atget? How are they pronounced?

 

[RML]

Like the "e" in 'red", with voiceless "t".

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Off the topic, but the original quest seems to have been well-answered: how do we say "bokeh"?

 

[Gordon Coale]

A mystery solved. Thanks.

 

[RML]

Off the topic, but the original quest seems to have been well-answered: how do we say "bokeh"?

Not again, Jon! Not again! 😛

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Oooops. Seems I've hit a nerve. Sorry.

I'll carry on saying it like 'bouquet'.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

"bock - ay" I like it.

Local beer is called Super Bock. So bockay sounds sort of right.

 

[jonasv]

I always pronounce it softer, more like "boh - kay".

As in OK, but with a B. 🙂

 

[Trius]

Speaking of Atget, last Saturday I took in the Atget exhibit and can post my initial impressions later. In brief, it was very nicely done.

Earl

 

[Bertram2]

He never used a rangefinder but was one of the great street photographers. Many consider him the first street photographer. His name was Eugene Atget and he used an 8x10 view camera. Actually an 18x24cm view camera. I know we have some French speaking members. How is Atget pronounced? Is the g hard or soft? This has been bothering me for years. Help!

Gordon,
this bothered me too, and so I went to the house he had lived in

Atget's house

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2509403

and entered the Cafe on the ground floor for a Grand Noir. I told the Patron
that this was a kinda pilgrimage for me and that I have come there first of all to learn how this name must be pronounced.
All the guys at the bar confirmed his version, the second "t" IS spoken !!

So translated in the English notation his name is correctly pronounced as "Utshett", a open "A" at the beginning like in "utter nonsense" .

Names don't care about grammer and rules, in French either.
My Avatar shows him shortly before he died, photo by Berenice Abbott.

Regards,
Bertram

 

[Bertram2]

So translated in the English notation his name is correctly pronounced as "Utshett", a open "A" at the beginning like in "utter nonsense" .

The "e" like in shed, or bed, the way i wrote it above it looks a bit like "Utshitt" to me 😱

bertram

 

[wtl]

Off the topic, but the original quest seems to have been well-answered: how do we say "bokeh"?

I always thought it's "bo-ka".

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I always thought it's "bo-ka".

We've had a few long threads about the "subject".

------

RML: très bien! 🙂

Now, somebody, how should we pronounce "Schwarzenegger"? :angel:

 

[ed1k]

Just last weekend I was in some photo gear store. Sales associate had hard time to undestand my prononciation of Carl Zeiss. Since I was born in USSR and my first language is Russian (neither German nor English), I have no clue how to pronounce this name here in Toronto. So, my soviet [Karl Tseis] was not recognizible ([Ts] is in fact one sound), but a few moments later the guy asked me "Ah, you mean [Karl Zais]". So, what is the right German prononciation?

 

[JohnL]

Bow (as in arrow), kay (as in OK)
That the final t in Atget should be pronounced suggests he might originally have been of Belgian descent. Compare Moet as in champagne. Just wondering.

 

[lubitel]

German is Karl Tsais. Tsa is Like the the russian Tsaplia or Tsar. and rhymes with englich mice. 🙂

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Bow (as in arrow), kay (as in OK)

Yes, if with a U.S. accent. Writing it out is rather tricky. I've seen confirmation from a few people who know Japanese here on the forum, and also from a few friends ("offline") who are Japanese. Westernizing such words is always an interesting exercise online.

Lubitel: how concise! You're so wise. 🙂

 

[lubitel]

gabrielma,

your comment is precise
🙂