Why is st.john pronounced

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Serginon?

[SoupDragon]

it isn't. Isn't in Sin Gin?

[SoupDragon]

Isn't it Sin Gin.

Not that it answers the question :o I guess you have to be very very posh to understand.

[fusspot66]

Do you mean Sin Jin ?

[Hassled]

Yes - Sin Gin is right. As to why - no idea. I used to know a StJohn - he was lovely.

[fusspot66]

For the same reason as Cholmondly is pronounced Chumley.
It's knobishness devised by the toffs to keep the plebs on the outside.

[TheSydenhamSet]

I remember being bemused by this name at English a level - he was a love interest in Jane eyre I think. Or Tess of the D'Urbervilles? It's Sin Jin btw

[curlew]

It's more like Synj'n than SinJin. Like a posh version of a glottal stop.

And it's one of the specially designed unwritten rules that enable the posh to spot the non posh however hard the non posh try to "pass". I know them all- will pass them on for a fee. Like which fork you use to eat asparagus.........

[TheSydenhamSet]

Curlow, do you know, I was thinking the same about the pronunciation but wasn't sure how to describe it in words - well done!

[TheSydenhamSet]

"Curlew" sorry

[Theironfistofarkus]

On my very first day at work we had a meet and greet drinks event in the evening. Everyone was wearing badges and I was asked to introduce the people I was chatting to to a more senior person. One of the badges said St John. I was utterly baffled and thought to myself "surely he isn't called Saint John. Help!". Had never seen anything like it and thought it was utterly hilarious. Was luckily rescued by someone in the group who did know.

I think you pronounce it Sin j'n - got to know the guy after that.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

What other names are there that generally posh people use which sound nothing like the way they are spelt?

[curlew]

Beauchamp
Belvoir

Oh, and Wednesday

[DontCallMeDaughter]

Beauchamp is pronounced Bee-chum. There is a Beauchamp Street in London that I struggled to find, no one knew what I was talking about until some helpful Toff told me is was Beechum Street and it was just around the corner...

[YoureBeingADick]

Ooh this has reminded me of an irish name 'conchubhair' which is just connor had me stumped for a while till i had a better grasp of irish.

[DontCallMeDaughter]

Gah, x-post with the knowledgable Curlew...

[curlew]

Featherstonehaugh.......

[MrsBungle]

Yes I thought it was more sin Jun. had no idea about beachamp!

[MrsBungle]

Beauchamp even

[YoureBeingADick]

How do you say featherstonehaugh?

[Confusedbyyou]

Are you talking about first names?

Are there people whose first name is spelt St. John but pronouced Synj'n

[OiVaVoi]

Magdalen college

[Bowlersarm]

Isn't it pronounced Sin Gin as a first name, but St John as a surname?

I tripped up on Grosvenor - pronounced it Gross-venor for a while (only to myself luckily)

[BinarySolo]

I remember a radio 1 competition phone in when they were doing the roadshow in Leicester. They asked where the mosquito coast was reply was 'Belvoir Street' (pronounced beaver). Dj snorted with derision and said 'no it bell voir street. Pfft beaver? Hahaha'

Dick.

[charleslingus]

Youre, it's pronounces fanshaw, belvoir is beaver, cholmondley is chummly

The stjohn I knew was sinjun.

[sassytheFIRST]

What about Mingus Campbell (Menzies)?