Pronunciation guide

[Holdit]

I was watching a YouTube video about the Sandbox Campaign and the poor guy was having a bit of a nightmare with some of the pronunciations. I thought it might be useful to post a brief guide to the correct way to say the names of the Belgian place names and French surnames, for those who might feel the need for a little guidance. I don't claim that these are spot on, but they'll get you close enough that a French speaker would know what you were saying. In general, the faster you say them, the better they'll work.

Zh is a soft J sound, like Zsa Zsa Gabor. It also sounds better if the R's are rolled a little, but it's not vital. Where there's a -ang, -ong, or awng, the "g" should be just barely pronounced.

Places


Bruxelles Broozell
Charleroi Sharluhwah
Dinant Deenawng
Fleurus Fluh-rooce
Gembloux Zhawmbloo
Genappe Zhunnapp
Hougoumont Oogoomong
La Haye Sainte Lah Ay Sant
Liege Lee-ezh
Ligny Leenee
Maransart Mahrawngsar
Mont St. Jean Mong sang zhawng
Namur Nahmyoor
Nivelles Nee-vell
Plancenoit Plawngsuhnwah
Quatre-Bras Katruh-bra
Wavre Wahvruh


People

Chassé Shassay
Delort Duh-lawr
d'Erlon Dayrlong
d'Hurbal Durebahl
Domon Doh-mong
Donzelot Dongzelloh
Drouot Droo-oh
Duhesme Jew-ehm
Durutte Jewroot
Foy Fwah
Friant Free-awng
Guyot Gwee-oh
Jacquinot Zhahkeenoh
Jeanin Zhannang
Jerome Zhayruhm
Lefebvre-Desnouettes Luhfevruh-Daynoowet
Marcognet Markonyay
Morand More-awng
Mouton Mootawng
Perponcher Pairpawngshay
Pire Pee-ray
Quiot Key-oh
Rebecque Rebek
Reille Ray-uh
Simmer Seemayr
Soult Soolt
Subervie Syoobayrvee
Watier Vatyay

HTH!

Paul

[IronBMike]

Good post, some of these can be hard to pick up.

[RebBugler]

Please list Papelotte also, I stumble all over that one. Thanks

[Holdit]

Please list Papelotte also, I stumble all over that one. Thanks

Opps, forgot that one:

"Pahpuh-lot" or "Papple-ott".

[awralls]

I think you have Liege wrong, unless I'm misunderstanding your phonetics (in which case, I apologise).

It should be more like 'Lee-aje'.

Andy

[con20or]

This is a really good idea - I was about to give up all hope of ever figuring Lefebvre-Desnouettes out. I'm going to sticky this

[Holdit]

Here are a few more, with some commanders from other campaigns (cough, hint):

Places

Braine l'Alleud Brain Lalluh
Frischermont Free-shayr-mong
La Belle Alliance Lah Bell Alley-awnce
Lasne Lann
Le Caillou Luh Cah-yoo
Maison du Roi Mayzong dyoo Rwah
Merbe Braine Merbuh Brain
Smohain Smoh-ang

People

Augereau Oh-zher-oh
Bernadotte Bairnadot
Berthier Bert-yay
Bessieres Bess-yair
Compans Compawng
d'Espagne Day-span-yuh
Davout Dah-voo
Desaix Duh-zay
Dessaix Dessay
Eugene Uh-zhen
Gerard Zhay-rar
Girard Zhee-rar
Grouchy Groo-shee
Gudin Gyoo-dang
Jomini Zhoh-meenee
Joubert Zhoo-bair
Jourdan Zhoordawng
Junot Zhyoon-oh
Laboissier Lah-bwah-syay
Lannes Lann
Lasalle Lah-sall
Lautour-Maubourg Low-toor-moe-boor
Marmont Marmong
Massena Mass-aynah
Milhaud Meel-oh
Montbrun Mongbrung
Mortier Mortyay
Murat Myoo-rah
Nansouty Nawng-soo-tee
Napoleon Nah-pole-ayong
Oudinot Oo-deen-oh
St Cyr San Seer
St. Sulpice San Syoolpeece
Senarmont Senn-ahr-mong
Suchet Soo-shay


Military Terms

a Cheval ah Shove-al
a Pied ah Pyay
Artillerie Artee-yeree
Battalion Bah-tahl-yon
Carabinier Carra-bin-yay
Chasseur Shass-uhr
Compagnie Cawmpan-yee
Cuirassier Kwee-rassyay
Dragon Dragong
Fusilier Fyoozil-yay
Grenadier Gruh-nad-yay
Hussard Ooce-ar
Infanterie de ligne Ang-fawnteree duh leenyuh
Infanterie legere Ang-fawnteree lay-zhair
Lancier Lawnce-yay
Regiment Ray-zhee-mong
Tirailleur Tee-rye-uhr
Voltigeur Voltee-zhuhr

[Holdit]

I think you have Liege wrong, unless I'm misunderstanding your phonetics (in which case, I apologise).

It should be more like 'Lee-aje'.

Andy

You might be right, but I think the downward accent should flatten out the "e" sound. I don't think there's much difference between the two anyway. Either one would be better than, say, "Leej" or "Leeg" and would get you understood in Belgium.

(I'm using zh for the French "j" sound e,g, "je suis" = "zhuh swee". Like Zhukov or Zsa Zsa. I don't think that sound has an equivalent in English.)

Paul

[uxbridge]

What about those well known English cavalry officers
Majoribanks
Farquarharson
Cholmondeley
Leicestershire

[Holdit]

Marchbanks
Farkerson or Farkwerson
Chumley
Lestersheer



(I had to look up two of these. The French ones are easier!)