Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Why is st.john pronounced

102 replies

JazzAnnNonMouse · 19/10/2013 10:42

Serginon?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
curlew · 23/10/2013 12:14

Ralph is the posh pronunciation. Raif the lower middle class aspirational one.

Not a lot of people know that.

bluebayou · 23/10/2013 11:48

Blimey Felwyne how long did it take you type that lot out ? Grin

sashh · 23/10/2013 11:36

Ralph no one has mentioned Ralph pronounce Raif, and as for Clapham, well who doesn't know it i pronounced Clahrm?

firesidechat · 23/10/2013 08:58

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

As Curlew said. I had to study Jane Eyre for my A level and there is a St John it that and is pronounced as above.

Angrybudda · 22/10/2013 14:48

I know two brothers the eldest 11yo is called Saint John. The younger 8yo is called Stjohn (pronounced Sin Jin).

strange but true!

KatoPotato · 21/10/2013 16:04

It sure is! We tried to get from the car park to Mugdock park with a buggy and wearing flip flops.

Pronounce Mull-guy

nicename · 21/10/2013 16:01

Yes I have. It's that start/finish (depends on your pov) of the WHW.

KatoPotato · 21/10/2013 15:10

Ever been to Milngavie?

curlew · 21/10/2013 15:06

Ah, but a proper posh person whose name was Sidebottom would pronounce it Sidebottom. Only the lower middle class refained Hyacinth Bucket type would say siddybotooom.

nicename · 21/10/2013 12:07

My old boss had some relatives with the surname 'siddy-buttonnnn' spelled S-I-D-E-B-O-T-T-O-M.

CatAmongThePigeons · 21/10/2013 11:59

This is fascinating stuff. The language is so varied

BinarySolo · 21/10/2013 11:43

Hehe yes very understandable, but still slightly bucket/bouquet!

nicename · 21/10/2013 11:31

Who wants to be called Mr Cock burn? I completely understand that pronunciation!

Halfrek · 20/10/2013 10:54

Mousehole in Cornwall is pronounced Mowzal.

A few places always trip me up even if I know the correct pronunciation. Dun Lagohaire always gets me even though I know it is Dun Leery.

BinarySolo · 20/10/2013 08:38

Surname Cockburn as co'burn.

BinarySolo · 20/10/2013 08:36

In Milton Keynes there's Woughton (woof ton), loughton (lout on) and Boughton (bought ton).

Quay always confused me, but I'm easily confused!

Monkeyandanimal · 20/10/2013 08:16

McCleod, pronounced McCloud....

LeGavrOrf · 20/10/2013 08:07

I only found out very recently that Kirkcudbright is not pronounced as it is written (it's Kirk-oo-Bree iirc).

There is a village in Devon called woolfardisworthy pronounced Wollsery.

RM0104 · 20/10/2013 03:56

A town near glasgow is called Milngavie pronounced mulguy. Also a village near Lanark called Kilncadzow pronounced Kilcaiggy....strange

BaltiPie · 20/10/2013 00:16

Great poem. Going to have to copy and paste for future use for ds' endless questioning if that's ok!

In the West Midlands Caldmore is pronounced karma. Not in the league of fanshaw!

StetsonsAreCool · 19/10/2013 23:50

I love these! The quirks and foibles of this language. Felyne that poem is epic!

There's a Leominster in North Herefordshire that's pronounced Lemster. I think most people know that though.

But Ratlinghope in Shropshire is actually Ratchup. My mind still boggles at that one Confused

jcscot · 19/10/2013 23:34

There's also Aberchirder (a wee town near Aberdeen) which is pronounced locally as Fogie.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 19/10/2013 17:11

Never heard that Menzies called Meng is we call it Menzies I sat beside one in college:-). Gallagher pronounced Gallag her is another one in England. Gallagher is pronounced Galla her no g here in Ireland.

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 19/10/2013 16:39

Mingis
Autocorrect has a real problem with pronunciation threads

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 19/10/2013 16:32

Mingus hard g

Swipe left for the next trending thread