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Original poster

Dahlia - how would you pronounce it?

59 replies

goofygoober · 02/05/2014 21:05

We like this name for a girl - but do you say Dah-lee ya or Day-lee ya?

Thanks?

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Orangeisthenewbanana · 03/05/2014 01:48

Mmm....you made me think there.

As someone's name I would use Dar-lee-a.
For the flower I would use Day-lee-a though.

Couldn't for the life of you tell you why I hear them differently in my head I'm afraid, sorry!

Alisvolatpropiis · 02/05/2014 23:33

Beer you and I can speak our own brand of English and leave the rest to it Grin

beershuffle · 02/05/2014 23:31

Dah-lee-a. And I speak English.

Alisvolatpropiis · 02/05/2014 23:29

Dah-lee-ah

Surely it is phonetic?

BigfootFiles · 02/05/2014 22:44

x-post with RiverTam - but the character in Suburgatory spells it without the 'h'.

BigfootFiles · 02/05/2014 22:43

There's a sitcom on E4 called Suburgatory which has a character called Dalia, whose name is pronounced "Dar-lee-a".

Dahlia, I would assumed to be pronounced like the flower.

AiryFairyHairyAndScary · 02/05/2014 22:40

MerryMarigold has it!

Dar-lee-ya - if a name

Day-lee-ya if it's a flower

RiverTam · 02/05/2014 22:38

Day-lia, like the flower. There's a character called this in Suburgatory - they pronounced it Dar-lia, which I thought sounded a bit daft.

MerryMarigold · 02/05/2014 22:33

I know this sounds silly but...

If I saw it as a name 'Dahlia Smythe' I would think it's Dah-lee-ah

But in a garden centre I would refer to them as Day-lee-ers. Maybe it's a singular and plural thing. You never get one Day-lee-er (flower) on its own!

Bunbaker · 02/05/2014 22:30

I just assumed you would pronounce it the same way the plant is pronounced - Day-lee-ya. Isn't that the case then?

AberdeenAngusina · 02/05/2014 22:30

Day-lee -ah

PigletJohn · 02/05/2014 22:30

depends what country you are in.

The plant was introduced to Europe, from IIRC Mexico by a Professor Dahl. I believe he was Swiss-German and pronounced his name Darl, so in most of the world they are called Darl-ee-as.

In UK for some reason we call them Day-lee-as.

MrsBungle · 02/05/2014 22:28

Day lia like the flower. I considered it for dc2. I love it.

TheLastThneed · 02/05/2014 22:28

Dar Lee Ah

Darmok · 02/05/2014 22:26

I know an American girl called Dahlia, Dar Lee ah.

I'd say Day lee ah though for an English girl, unless told otherwise.

MollyBdenum · 02/05/2014 22:07

It's one of those words that I read before I heard anyone say it, so in my head it's Dah-lee-a but I would actually say Day-lee-a.

Frontdoorstep · 02/05/2014 21:53

Dale-ya is how I say it.

Dunwhingin · 02/05/2014 21:51

The plant is day - liah, the name is dah-liah
I think anyway

Treaclepot · 02/05/2014 21:43

We had a girl at school called Dahlia said Dah-lee-ah, her family was indian.

BurdenedWithGloriousPurpose · 02/05/2014 21:40

OMG IVE ONLY JUST GOT THAT BLOODY SONG OUT OF MY HEAD AND NOW YOUVE PUT IT BACK IN.

I'm a goofy goober...

Angry

I say Dah-lee-a.

Grin
BuggedByJake · 02/05/2014 21:35

Dar-lee-ah

Original poster
goofygoober · 02/05/2014 21:34

I actually like it pronounced either way. I asked the question to see how others would expect it to sound, should we decide to use it. That's if we end up with a DD and not a DS!

Thanks.

OP posts:
HenI5 · 02/05/2014 21:33

English was as per the flower.

Dar lee ah sounds affected to me.

Martorana · 02/05/2014 21:28

How can you like it if you don't know how to say it??

It's Day-lee-ah in English.

Kleptronic · 02/05/2014 21:26

Day-li-ah

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