I have almost finished this. In my head I have been pronouncing Ove to rhyme with clove, cove or rove.
However, I just happened to mention the book to DH and he said "Oh isn't it pronounced Oh-vay"
So I just wondered whether any of you wise mumsnetters who maybe knew about Swedish names or had heard the book discussed anywhere had some insight as to which is the correct way to pronounce his name?
It's kind of like your DH said, but I would say more oh-Vuh than oh-veh. I am purely basing that on the film of the book though (it's in Swedish but subtitled). Highly recommend both the book and the film!
You won’t be able to get it right as English speakers, but something like Oh-vuh is close. You start with a long o like the o in hoover (it’s a slightly different sound I think but it’s too early for phonetics babes), then a straightforward v and then the e is the same as the initial e of effervescent. Short and sweet!
Regional accents - if you pronounce it in the author's home accent it might be different since the O can be a diphtong then. Maybe. Depending on the particular area you're from I think. Otherwise in all other Swedish accents the difference will be tonal really and for English-speakers the tone is hard to pick up. It's pretty much the same all over Sweden on the whole. Ooo-vuh is close enough, making sure the uh bit is like the first e in effervescent is better. One has to make allowances for foreigners ;)
and then the e is the same as the initial e of effervescent. Short and sweet!