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Original poster

How do you pronounce Beatrice and where are you from?

188 replies

Crunchymum · 25/05/2019 21:37

Ball park on location of course

"Beer-triss" - South East

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RiftGibbon · 26/05/2019 22:19

Beer-triss. Londoner.

Sashkin · 26/05/2019 22:19

Bee-ah-triss.

But I say beer “bee-ah” as well.

SE now, Sheffield originally.

tinytemper66 · 26/05/2019 22:15

Bee-a-tris and from Wales

AbbyHammond · 26/05/2019 22:14

Beer-triss/Bee-uh-triss

SW

kaytee87 · 26/05/2019 22:04

Meant to highlight the first paragraph there

kaytee87 · 26/05/2019 22:03

It is not a redundant letter just because it is not pronounced in non-rhotic accents

I understand that people may pronounce the 'beeah' sound in the same way they would pronounce 'beer' due to their accent but there is no R in Beatrice so it is not only a redundant letter, it's non existent.

@RaffertyFair I'm not really sure you actually read my post properly tbh. I'm Scottish, I pronounce my R's and don't add them where they don't exist.

Cherylshaw · 26/05/2019 21:50

Beer-triss from Scotland

Original poster
Crunchymum · 26/05/2019 21:49

Gosh, such differing opinions.

FWIW we have a Beatrice (primary school age) and she is Beer-triss / Bee / BeBe.

Not quite sure I understand the whole non rhotic issue, but I do pronounce the R in bath???? Shock

OP posts:
RaffertyFair · 26/05/2019 21:47

this is why we should all just learn the phonetic alphabet

I remember so well many many years ago as a first year speech and language student learning the phonetic symbols and the whole process was just as fraught as threads like this Grin. Each symbol has a key word to illustrate the sound the symbol represents. But of course the reference accent is RP. So it is no help to anyone with other accents! My Manchunian mate nearly gave up in week one when we were given 2 different symbols to represent 2 different vowel sounds. The reference words were 'put' and 'cup'. In RP, totally different sounds. But in her accent the vowels are the same sound! And it got a lot trickier Smile

SoleBizzz · 26/05/2019 21:42

Bea-a-triss... West Mids

MadisonAvenue · 26/05/2019 21:41

Bee-a-triss. I'm in the Midlands

cupofteaplease · 26/05/2019 21:38

I had a little girl called Beatrice- I pronounced it Beer-trice. Her godmother pronounced it Bee-trice. Italian friends said Bay- a- treech- ay, so there you go!
Her nicknames were Bea (bee) or Beezus.

RaffertyFair · 26/05/2019 21:34

OwlBeThere
I was explaining why a non-rhotic speaker couldn't just leave out the 'r' as pp was suggesting.

And even in many rhotic accents, the r changes the vowel from a monophthong to a diphthong. The 'r' sound is a separate issue.

SoupDragon · 26/05/2019 21:22

Harlot and hahlot both sound exactly the same in my accent. I'm sure there are better examples but that is the only one I've come up with 😂😂

OwlBeThere · 26/05/2019 21:20

In your accent that may be true @raffertyfair. but not in all.
to some bee and beer are the same vowel sound, but with an added rhotic r. to some some bee and beer have very different vowel sounds. to some beer has one syllable and to some it has two.

this is why we should all just learn the phonetic alphabet and then we wouldn't have to continually have discussions about rhoticism that people get very irate about.

RaffertyFair · 26/05/2019 21:14

I just never understand why people type an R in on these threads.

Because the 'r' influences the vowel sound so you cant leave it out Confused. It is not a redundant letter just because it is not pronounced in non-rhotic accents.

Bee and beer have completely different vowel sounds because of the 'r'.

SoupDragon · 26/05/2019 20:49

@SoupDragon I understand the accent difference but surely you know there's not meant to be an R sound there? I'm genuinely not trying to be goady. I just never understand why people type an R in on these threads.

Then you clearly don't understand the accent difference.

GreenEyedDevil · 26/05/2019 20:30

Same as you OP. NW London.

LoafofSellotape · 26/05/2019 20:22

Ha Grin

RaffertyFair · 26/05/2019 20:20

(Obviously the joke only works when said aloud!)

RaffertyFair · 26/05/2019 20:18

This old joke illustrates the same pronounciation:

"What do you call a woman riding a unicycle balancing a pint of lager on her head?"

Beatrix Grin

TatianaLarina · 26/05/2019 20:04

I don’t say beer with an r anyway.

Snipples · 26/05/2019 19:46

I will be listening more closely from now on. Currently sitting in my living room saying Beatrice in different accents like a loon.

PuppyMonkey · 26/05/2019 19:33

I’d say Beer-triss but I definitely wouldn’t say Barth.

From Nottingham.

RomanyQueen1 · 26/05/2019 19:22

Bee a triss , North West.

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