Pronunciation of these towns

Having problems with the Italian language? Do you need help to translate or understand an old family document? There is always someone who can help you!
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Stella Cilento: is the c a hard c or is it a ch sound?

Gimigliano: are these hard g's or softs g's or a mix?


Alicia
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by johnnyonthespot »

"Ci" is chee, as in cheese.

"Gi" is gee, like in jeep. The second "g" is harder to explain, and I have to say that I never liked the explanation I usually find in books which tell you to think of the "gl" as "lyuh" like in million.

Here is what I think is a better explanation for the two common G-consonant pairings, gl and gn:

First, forget about the g.

Second, pronounce the letter after the g as if it were part of the previous syllable.

Third begin the next syllalbe with a yuh sound.

So gnocchi is pronounced (roughly) en-yokie and Gimigliano is Gee-meal-yano.

Check out this great site. It will pronounce single words or short phrases (complete with punctuation if you like) and does so quite accurately, I am told.

[edited to fix Oddcast hyperlink]
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

So basically the g in the middle is silent in this case?

Alicia
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by johnnyonthespot »

DeFilippis78 wrote:So basically the g in the middle is silent in this case?

Alicia
We need to be careful. As English speakers, when we think of a silent letter, we think of it as simply not existing and serving no purpose at all.

But in the case of the gl and gn pairings in Italian, alhough the g itself is not pronounced (in the English sense), it does tell you, the speaker, that you must insert that yuh sound in front of the next syllable.

Gimigliano: gee-MEAL-yano
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

I get it (I think). I think english and my knowledge of some spanish gets in the way.

Alicia
User avatar
liviomoreno
Master
Master
Posts: 7032
Joined: 13 Feb 2004, 00:00
Location: Rome, Italy
Contact:

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by liviomoreno »

DeFilippis78 wrote:I get it (I think). I think english and my knowledge of some spanish gets in the way.

Alicia
The sound of "GL" in Italian is similar to the sound of "LL" in Spanish.
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Is there a L sound at all then? Because the LL in spanish is a Y sound. Like llamo is said, YAh-mo. Like that?

Alicia
User avatar
liviomoreno
Master
Master
Posts: 7032
Joined: 13 Feb 2004, 00:00
Location: Rome, Italy
Contact:

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by liviomoreno »

I realize that maybe the "LL" is pronounced differently in various places int he world...
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Well I guess I have the basic idea of how the town is said now. I was totally destroying the pronunciation before thinking they were both hard g's . Thanks for your help everyone.

Alicia
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by johnnyonthespot »

DeFilippis78 wrote:Is there a L sound at all then? Because the LL in spanish is a Y sound. Like llamo is said, YAh-mo. Like that?

Alicia
Yes, definitely.

The "gn" example I gave earlier is helpful as everyone (well, almost) knows how to pronounce gnocchi. :)

Did you try out the Oddcast Text-To-Speech site I linked to?

Another example, Campagnolo - pronounced Cam-pan-yo-lo.

Figlio/Figlia (son/daughter) - pronounced Feel-yo / Feel-ya

Or. one of my favorites, the actor who portrayed "The Hulk" on TV, Lou Ferrigno. Someone needs to tell him (not me!) his name is pronounced Fer-reen-yo and not Fer-rig-no.
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

So basically the y comes after the l or the n? Im going to take a look at that website now.

The hulk.... :lol:

I noticed that son and daughter is very close to the latin translation. Neat!

Alicia
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Carmine, that oddcast link isnt available anymore :(

Alicia
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by johnnyonthespot »

DeFilippis78 wrote:Carmine, that oddcast link isnt available anymore :(

Alicia
That's odd; I use it all the time. Let's try again, Oddcast link.
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
DeFilippis78
Master
Master
Posts: 1144
Joined: 02 Dec 2009, 02:19

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by DeFilippis78 »

That one works. But when I put in random words and put to say in Italian it just says the word in english with an italian accent :lol:

Alicia
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Pronunciation of these towns

Post by johnnyonthespot »

DeFilippis78 wrote:That one works. But when I put in random words and put to say in Italian it just says the word in english with an italian accent :lol:

Alicia
Well, I've never had that happen. What random words are you trying?
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
Post Reply