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Original poster

Juliet - having a wobble over pronunciation...

67 replies

waxweasel · 01/02/2016 18:42

DD2 is due in 2 months' time, and we're completely set on Juliet. It's been top of the list since before I even got pregnant Smile

But I'm now having a bit of a stress over pronunciations. DH and I both pronounce it 'joo-lee-ET' (i.e stress on the final syllable). That is how we would want it to be pronounced. But I am sure I have heard people say 'JOO-lyut' (i.e stressing the first syllable). DH says that I'm talking nonsense and nobody says it that way.

I would rather spell it the English way (Juliet), but would people tend to use the JOOLyut pronunciation if I do? I guess the French spelling of Juliette suggests greater emphasis on the final syllable so might be more likely to give the pronunciation we want, but I just find it a bit too frilly and know the poor girl will be in for a lifetime of explaining the spelling...

What do you think?

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Pipilangstrumpf · 03/02/2016 15:05

In other words Juliet, Hariett, Julius and Julian both emphasise the first syllable, whereas names like Juliette, Bernadette and Colette all emphasise the last syllable. Hope that makes sense Smile.

Pipilangstrumpf · 03/02/2016 15:01

I don't think you're overthinking it at all, op because I too would say:

Juliet = JOOLyet

Juliette = Jooly-ETTE

So if you prefer it pronounced the French way, I'd definately spell it Juliette. Looks more feminine too imo.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 03/02/2016 13:50

I wouldn't use Juliette, because I'd pronounce that with a softer 'j' sound.

MitzyLeFrouf · 03/02/2016 13:30

I seem to remember that Juliet Bravo was a JOO-leeut but I pronounce Juliet/ette the same with the emphasis on the last syllable.

PooDogMillionaire · 03/02/2016 13:27

Completely over thinking it!

Sometimes I say Joo-lee-et, other times JOO lee-et, doesn't really matter

BertrandRussell · 03/02/2016 12:24

it has to have the stress on the first syllable in Romeo and Juliet, or the poetry won't scan!

SouthernShepherdess · 03/02/2016 12:17

Never heard it pronounced any other way than Joo-lee-ETT! I have always assumed both spellings, Juliet and Juliette are pronounced that way. I'm sure the vast majority of people would also see both spellings as that pronounciation.

LBOCS2 · 02/02/2016 19:52

Oh, and people do mix up the spellings. It happens - but then it's been happening to me for years with my name so I think I'm a little desensitised to it.

LBOCS2 · 02/02/2016 19:51

My DD is a Juliet and I have literally no idea what you're talking about re. pronunciation! I've never noticed anyone saying her name any other way than the way I would - except when she was little and introduce herself as Joo-YET.

I do sometimes call her from the bottom of the stairs in the "HOO-LI-ET-TAAA!!!" manner. I think it's a 90s thing.

DickDewy · 02/02/2016 19:42

I would pronounce Juliet and Juliette differently.

Agree with others, go for -ette if it's an issue.

As an aside, I think the stress on the 1st syllable is nicer.

BackforGood · 02/02/2016 19:20

I was going to say the same as bikerunski - the difference really is slight. As she meets people with different accents, they will all have a slightly different way of saying any name.
My favourite one recently is a friend whose name is Jo, is is called what sounds to me like "Jaw" by our Geordie colleague Grin

ShootTheMoon · 02/02/2016 19:00

I have one and I think even I switch between pronunciations, which are very slight to my ear, and accent.

The Juliets/Juliettes I know are all Ju/Jules/Jools/Jet/Joolsy anyway. And the name has other advantages; we have never met another, no one ever questions it, and it has heritage in many languages so it works well internationally.

BikeRunSki · 02/02/2016 18:16

I think the difference is so slight , and everyone's accent is different, that in the end you'll just associate the name - however pronounced- with your DD.

I didn't even particularly like DD's name when we named her - but 4 years in, I couldn't image her being called anything else.

Fjlb · 02/02/2016 17:39

I think I put more stress at the end but it's minimal difference when I say it aloud.

PurpleTreeFrog · 02/02/2016 16:09

Personally I dont think it matters as the pronunciations are so similar, it's just the emphasis that differs. It wouldn't bother me if people's pronunciation of it varied slightly.

DS has a name which gets pronounced wrongly on the other hand - think Sarah/Sara. Still doesn't really bother me that much and I have no regrets.

Original poster
waxweasel · 02/02/2016 16:03

Thanks everyone! And I love that Dire Straits song - reassuring as they also pronounce it our way, and also lovely to be reminded of it! DD1 and I had a little dance to it while making breakfast Grin

i've thought about it some more overnight and have decided that actually I don't mind the stress being on the first syllable, though it's not how I would say it. What I actually don't like is people turning it into a -yut/y't noise at the end (like the OP in the thread linked above, actually). Sounds like not many people will do that though, so panic over! I showed DH my research last night but he still maintains it's a non issue and my pregnancy hormones talking. He also made the very sensible point that my family will find a way to mangle any name however straightforward, so best not to worry about it too much Grin

OP posts:
PouletDePrintemps · 02/02/2016 13:29

There was a thread about this on MN here.

IIRC there is some argument that Shakespeare intended it to be 2 syllables, sort of Jul'yut.

BeautyIsTruth · 02/02/2016 10:56

How funny, I've known 5 Juliets and I've never heard it as anything other than the -ett emphasised the most, although I agree that it's a subtle emphasis.

OP 1 one of them goes by Jet, which I've always thought is a cool nickname.

BikeRunSki · 02/02/2016 08:25

This is how I pronounce Juliet. I think it's the only way I've ever heard it pronounced. Wait for the chorus.

SoupDragon · 02/02/2016 07:55

Juliet is pronounced JOOli- ut

I don't think I've ever heard it with ut at the end. Always Ett.

Blu · 02/02/2016 07:45

Jul-I-et as in Romeo and. More like equal emphasis.

TheDowagerCuntess · 02/02/2016 07:30

I'd never thought about a different pronunciation - I'd say it Joo-lee-et (and assumed everyone did), but I guess I can hear that some people would say it Joo-lyut.

DD has a name that can be pronounced three ways, and they're all a lot more distinct than the Juliet/Juliet difference. People do pronounce it 'incorrectly' sometimes, if they haven't heard it said. It's not a big deal. We all know what the 'correct' pronunciation is, as does everyone who knows her. What does it matter if a few random strangers say it wrong? :)

AuntieStella · 02/02/2016 07:27

I say both Juliet and Juliette the same way (like Isobel and Isabelle).

And it's how I've always heard the pronunciation in Shakespeare: Joo-lee-et with fairly even stress over the three syllables.

Towardsthesun · 02/02/2016 07:20

In my region we would say Juli-ETTE emphasis on the ETTE (spelling wouldn't matter.)

Towardsthesun · 02/02/2016 07:19

It's a regional thing. The example I would use is a colleague Michelle. In my area we say Mi-CHELLE, emphasis on the CHELLE. A few colleagues, not local, call her MI- chelle, emphasis on the first syllable.

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