Sorcha... pronunciations?

[pinkytheshrinky]

I know that for the most part this name is pronounced Sor-kha but I met a nice older lady years ago who was a Sor-sha - I do really like this name and it is top of the list for my new dc. What do you think?

I do also have two other dds with Irish names who's spellings have been Anglicised so I do have form for this....

When I said "near enough" I meant that it is near enough to George to rule it out in my book.

This is all very interesting but honestly it makes not a jot of difference to my choice - sorry and all that but there it is.

There seem to be a great deal of Sorchas with the soft sha - in fact rather more than all the other's put together so there must be something in it. I think it might be like the caitlin thing - only a few people know it's wrong and probably have better things to do than point it out. I reckon she will be fine. All my children (apart from the oldest now) have really unusual names - the sort of names people put on their lists but never actually use.

When i looked at the name lists for the years they were born my son's names came up extremely rarely (17and 19 times i think) and my other daughter's name about 30 times - people always ask again when I tell them their names and then they hear them and then they say how lovely they are - they might be lying of course, they might think I am a crackpot with stupidly names children but then they would be mistaking me for someone who gives a fuck.

The world has enough Jessica's, Freya's, Chloe's etc

Again with the 'soft sha' business. What do you mean?

If you don't give a fuck why did you ask? Not giving a fuck about correct pronunciation is what one would expect from someone who doesn't respect a language of course..

Oh bloody give it a rest Math - you also went on earlier about how i was trying to honour our heritage (which I have never ever claimed) - trying to say because I prefer a pronunciation means the same as disrespecting a language (and by proxy the history of that country) is not at all the same thing. You got that wrong as you are wilfully misinterpreting me choosing this name as some terrible slight against the Irish (ffs)

If you read back through this thread many many more people have said that they either have a Sorcha or know a Sorcha pronounced in the manner I prefer. Many more than all the other pronunciations put together.

Given that, I feel perfectly comfy with using it as a name, albeit incorrectly pronounced/spelt or whatever you claim - if you would like to infer that because I choose that then I disrespect the Irish language (whatever the fuck that means anyway as I do think I have made the case for other languages being changed to suit UK pronunciation) then so be it. Irish is not the exception to the rule when it comes to being adapted, many names have been changed to make them easier to pronounce.

This is just an internet forum dear, that is all. It is always interesting to hear others' points of view (which I have found really illuminating) but unless one has misunderstood maybe the meaning of the name or perhaps the name has a dodgy history that was unknown previously then no one actually changes their mind. I wanted to know about other pronunciations, I have found that out and by far the most common pronunciation in the UK is in the manner I prefer.

I have been interested to hear your and others' opinions on this, even though you have got it wrong as to my reasoning for choosing the name (which may have sent you on a long and unnecessary rant - it must be annoying if someone goes on about honouring heritage and then ignores it too - but I didn't, that was your mistake). I have chosen the name because I like it: I still like it.

You don't like my choice but I don't care what you like, I care what I like - strange as it may seem to you, my opinion on this is far more important than yours because this is my child. It makes sense to me and others here to pronounce it as I choose and if you like a name then you like it, very little can be done to change that. I actually nearly used this for my first two dd's (almost 11 years ago) but it doesn't sound so good with their surname which is why it got shelved.

One can ask for advice without taking it.

The name is a word. By mispronouncing it, you ignore the fact that is a word. You have chosen to ignore its meaning. 'Chair' is not 'Share'. They're close, but an inch is as good as a mile when it comes to sounds in language. As I said earlier, why not spell it Evelyn and call her Sorcha -- if you're going to be wrong, you might as well do it in style and not look like someone who almost got it, not quite, but almost...

What I don't like is (1) your insistence that you have a choice as to the pronunciation of a name that actually does have a standard pronunciation in the language where it originates, (2) that you are free to take a name from another language of which you clearly know nothing and about which you are unwilling to learn anything and spell it as if it were still the same name but pronounce it as something that honors neither its meaning nor the language it originates in..

The name you like is not Sorcha, it is Sorsha.

I think you have misread both my posts and the explanations of my posts that I needed to post in order for you to understand various nuances you seem to have completely missed. I'm not going to bother re-posting the second attempts. I don't think nuance is your thing.

This is just an internet forum dear, that is all.

Isn't that a wee bit patronising of someone who has posted very intelligent, thoughtful posts, based on knowledge of a subject of which you clearly know nothing? Your understanding of language and nuance is pretty shaky, and you ignore what you have been told. That comes across as, well, ignorant.

Of course you can do whatever you like, as you have pointed out, but please have a little respect and appreciation for those who are much better informed than you.

nevermind Math - I do understand what you are saying but I am choosing to ignore you on this. It is just that simple.

Not that you haven't presented a good argument, you have. I don't understand the Irish language, I have never claimed to. If I have got it wrong, just being unpleasant to me will not change my mind. I do appreciate your information and knowledge just I shall do as I please (as as many others have done in choosing this pronunciation)

Just to be clear I am not claiming to have knowledge of language and nuance. I just like a name. I do have a bit of knowledge about English language generally but that is about it. There is precedence for names being changed to suit English pronunciation and I think after asking and finding so many other people having this name, spelling and pronunciation it seems not at all uncommon.

But I can ignore things can't I? Interestingly someone further up the thread said that the Sorcha that she met that day had only to explain herself to the Irish and not in the UK - well that goes to prove you are all right about it but here is the thing, I live in the UK. Nearly everyone who posted about knowing a Sorcha said it was pronounced like this. So if this pronunciation is so very wrong, how have to many come about?

So you're happy to take an Irish name and bastardise it because you can't pronounce it properly and don't care anyway?
Yep, you're English alright.

What language is this ugly bastardisation you're planning on inflicting on a child even in?

It's not Irish. You aren't anglicising it, since Sorcha would be pronounced SORE-cha (as in cha-cha-cha) in standard English.

Is it Russian? I doubt it. I don't think French will give you the sounds you are looking for.

So it's a made up name, with a nonsensical spelling, pronounced something like "Saw-sha". Sounds like the name of a kind of sausage.

But good luck to your daughter, I'm sure she'll love her ugly, illiterate name.

Like I said earlier, you can't compare it to all other countries. Would you do this with an indian name? I doubt it. Its amazing that the Irish language managed to survive the English desire to kill it, I don't think its ok for them to carry on doing it to our names.

Meh, her kid, she can call it what she wants. She might as well know what people will think though, she did ask after all.

My goodness you really are taking this personally and being a bit bullying and insulting about it. I am not on a high horse I am just doing as I please. I am allowed not to take your advice, some of which has well meant and good natured and some of which is just nasty. I have also taken note of the people who are using this name and have taken their advice.

I am just saying thank you and all that but I am going to do as I please. If that makes me a chav, illiterate, chooser of ugly names then so be it. I am not soley responsible for the denigration of the Irish language and like someone else has said it is ok for the Irish to change them and take English names. Lots of languages have this happen and not sure I can carry the can for all of that and I am not sure why Irish should be the exception to the rule here.

I have put my case, some of you agree and some of you don't but it is just that I will do as I please. I am so sorry you need to feel validated by having me slink away and retreat and agree with you but I will not, sorry about that but I am just being honest (as you have been with me).

There are still more little girls and women called this name and pronounced as I have suggested than any other version so it appears despite all your vociferous and sometimes a little over the top arguments the prevailing wind blows in the opposite direction.

I am entitled to be wrong and make my choice whether or not you agree with me without being called names. This is not life or death it is a name - if you want to make it about what the English have done to the Irish through history then I cannot stop you but really it isn't. You have to make you point and will use anything you can to make it but it does need to stay within the realms of reality.

I have taken a good kicking all the way through this thread, particularly from SheCutOffTheirTails et al and for the most part have remained ok with it even though the insults have been really personal, like I said you have an entitlement to your opinion. There are as many people on here who concur with my choice as disagree so I will stick with what I want. Sorry to disappoint.

pronounced something like "Saw-sha". Sounds like the name of a kind of sausage.

SheCutOffTheirTails - this is classic - a heap of shit but classic

No there aren't more your way. Not at all. You can call your child what you like but you are still wrong.

And why did you ask, when you don't care what anyone else thinks?

No No Stoirin reread the thread there are a lot of Sorchas pronounced Sorsha (more than I thought there would be actually) - more than the other pronunciations which seem far less common.

Maryz I will have a look right now

Ooh Maryz I am not sure about capitalising my name - I will have to ask the MN Jury....... I rather liked the onewordness of it, maybe I am wrong about that too?

Oh Crikey I will just have to sit and wait for the axe to fall. I do wonder though if this would firm up my chav credentials or should that be Chav or C.H.A.V - Bloody Hell it is all so contentious.

I do name change a bit though so perhaps I have slipped under the pedant radar?

No, there are a couple on a self-selected sample. There are several thousand at least with the proper pronounciation elsewhere.

hmm yes whatever - interesting though isn't it that those with the wrong pronunciation are the ones who chose to post. I am talking about this thread, there are more than a couple as you well know. How many people have come on and said oh yes mine is pronounced Sorika or whatever - it is at best evenly split but I think the consensus lays with my interpretation of it. And of course it is self-selected - it is an internet thread! People choose to post of not ffs.

Clutching at straws is what this is called. Genuinely it does smack of desperation and no amount of nagging will change my mind. Sorry.

That what self-selected sample means. Of course those with the wrong pronounciation choose to post, because they are the odd ones out and so are drawn to the subject. You're again forgetting the thousands of people who have the correct pronounciation.

I couldn't give a flying shite if you change your mind, cailleach, you can do as you wish.

"Of course those with the wrong pronounciation choose to post, because they are the odd ones out and so are drawn to the subject."

Mmm yes very scientific - interesting in particular because if you read the posts some of those had no idea they were 'wrong'or odd ones out. Particularly all those in Scotland - where it seems it is a standard version. For instance someone knew two people with this 'wrong' pronunciation, remarkable luck wouldn't you say? People with Irish family who had not said a word about the 'wrong' choice... You are tying yourself in knots but it makes no odds to me. Sorry I think you are wrong.

Yes I can see how much you don't care, all the nagging and cajoling and insulting and irrational arguments; that is how much you do not care.

Nevermind. And Irish name calling, oh dear that's a bit daft isn't it, sweetly appropriate though I suppose.