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Original poster

How would you pronounce Pearl?

80 replies

Horispondle · 21/05/2014 21:29

I like the name Pearl but I'm worried how people would pronounce it in different accents? I would say it 'Purl' but I think my DH's side of the family would say it 'Peh-ril'. How would you say it?

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everlong · 24/05/2014 16:49

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PrimalLass · 24/05/2014 16:43

Horispondle Wed 21-May-14 22:52:21
Yes they are Scottish! I think I might face a lifetime of getting irritated at the mis-pronunciationhmm. It's such a shame though as I think it's such a pretty name!

I wonder if they get irritated at you mispronouncing things too Hmm

badtime · 24/05/2014 14:05

I hadn't noticed that the OP had called the Scottish way of saying Pearl a mispronunciation. Of course it isn't! It is a Scottish pronunciation, which is just as valid as any English pronunciation, and entirely appropriate for a Scottish person!

MsHighwater · 23/05/2014 22:38

The Scottish pronunciation of Pearl is not a mispronunciation; it's just different. At least we Scots pronounce the Rs in words, which many English people seem to omit. If you think the inlaws' way of pronouncing the name will grate on you, your only option is to not use the name.

badtime · 23/05/2014 22:31

Actually, I suspect most of the people here who claim to say 'purl' actually say 'puhl' or 'puehl' or 'pehl'. The 'r' modifies the vowel in non-rhotic accents, rather than being pronounced in itself.

I am from NI, and I say 'perl' (one syllable). Other NI accents might say 'peh-ril' or 'paarl' or, indeed, 'purl'.

mathanxiety · 23/05/2014 15:48

DD1 had a Craig in her class but owing to the American 'Cregg' pronunciation I thought he was Greg until he was about 12. It would have been Crayg if he had been in Ireland.

HuglessDouglas · 23/05/2014 15:44

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AvonCallingBarksdale · 23/05/2014 15:41

DD has Pearl as one of her names. I have never heard anyone pronounce it as anything other than "purl". We are dahn sarf, though, so that may be to do with it. It's a lovely name IMVHO Wink

whereisshe · 23/05/2014 15:33

Ah, Creg. That explains it Smile, it's always Krayg in Australia...

florascotia · 23/05/2014 14:25

HaHa, Thumbwitch Very good! It's the beginning of the dreaded midge season here in Scotland. They also fly into mouths, eyes, everywhere....

soontobeslendergirl · 23/05/2014 13:29

My eldest is Craig and non scots often think it is Greg - Gregor being the other option we had.

squoosh · 23/05/2014 12:20

In America Craig is Creg, always think it sounds odd.

whereisshe · 23/05/2014 12:20

weebarra how did they pronounce it?? Because I'm Australian and have several friends/relatives called Craig, who are also Australian... No one ever struggles to pronounce it. Unless it's something other than kray-g...?

Thumbwitch · 23/05/2014 11:31

Nah, it's cos the Aussie pronunciation of most things is designed to keep minimal mouth opening, to keep out the flies. DH told me, and he's Aussie, so he must be right.

Wink
florascotia · 23/05/2014 10:20

Sorry - posted too soon. Maybe that's where the Australian pronouncation came from. Many Scots emigrated to Australia in 19th century.

florascotia · 23/05/2014 10:19

In some parts of Scotland, cairn (the memorial monument/little heap of stones) is pronounced 'carrh-n'.

weebarra · 23/05/2014 08:18

pehril here - also Scottish.
My DH is Craig and when we lived in Australia, people had real trouble pronouncing his name!

soontobeslendergirl · 23/05/2014 08:14

Thinking about it, our elder son has the same 4 letters with with one added and in another order.......think we had a lack of imagination or a love of 4 letters of the alphabet.

soontobeslendergirl · 23/05/2014 08:12

Thanks thumbwitch, whilst we have no plans to come to Australia, we went for something else, same letters except one missing and in a different order :o

parentalunit · 23/05/2014 05:31

Pahrl. Lovely name!

Thumbwitch · 23/05/2014 03:55

soontobe - if you'd brought him to Australia, it would have doubtless been pronounced "Cann"! (Cairns is often pronounced as Canns here)

Thumbwitch · 23/05/2014 03:53

Not in this particular instance, no Minnie. If the name sounds like "Peril" in said different accent then that's not particularly nice! I'm sure the Op has no problem with the Scottish accent in general, just with this particular name.

SconeRhymesWithGone · 23/05/2014 03:36

Another rhotic here (American South). I say something halfway between purl and pur-rul.

mathanxiety · 23/05/2014 03:19

Rhotic R here (Irish) and I would say Purrl. Not Per-il.

Peril would sound different from Pearl in a lot of Scottish accents.

everlong · 22/05/2014 20:20

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