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Original poster

Pronunciation

42 replies

Mangotango123 · 04/02/2020 14:32

My husband and I, if we have a girl, would like to call her clementine. Is there a right or wrong way to say it? Is it clementine (Tyne rhyming with Caroline) or clementine (tine rhyming with Josephine).

We don’t want to announce it and everyone tell us our pronunciation is wrong!

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MikeUniformMike · 04/02/2020 14:36

It is the -tine rhymes with nine.

Pippilangstrumpfie · 04/02/2020 14:55

It's Clemen-teen

Like Christine, Emmeline etc.

Lavenderblues · 04/02/2020 14:57

I've only ever heard it pronounced as Clemen-teen.

Like Seraphine or Josephine.

Elbeagle · 04/02/2020 14:58

I’d also say ‘clemen-teen’

CaMePlaitPas · 04/02/2020 14:59

Pretty sure it's a French name, I'm in France and I've heard it about a lot @Pippilangstrumpfie is right, it's "Clemen-teen"

Spam88 · 04/02/2020 15:00

I've only ever heard it as rhyming with nine.

thirdtimeluckythen · 04/02/2020 15:00

...tine like THE Tyne!

Grandmi · 04/02/2020 15:01

Clementine rhyming with Caroline.

Grufallosfriends · 04/02/2020 15:02

Definitely Clementeen!

As pp said, it's a French name.

SallyOMalley · 04/02/2020 15:02

My colleague has a little girl with this gorgeous name. He says Clemen-TEEN (in his rather lovely French accent).

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 04/02/2020 15:02

I know it as tine rhyming nine.

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 04/02/2020 15:02

*with

Grufallosfriends · 04/02/2020 15:04

Clementine to rhyme with Seraphine, Delphine, Christine, Adeline, Josephine etc

It sounds so much nicer that way!

PeppaisaBitch · 04/02/2020 15:07

I'd say tine to rhyme with nine. Seems just from this thread it could cause problems.

Wallabyone · 04/02/2020 15:08

Ha, we have a bit whose name ends tine- we pronounce it to rhyme with line, but plenty of people do the een pronunciation even when I gently point out it's the other way. You will have similar, it's a tiny bit annoying but the people who know us well get it right!

MrsChatterleysHoover · 04/02/2020 15:09

There's an old song, Oh my darling Clementine, and it's pronounced rhyming with 9. Also the fruit clementine rhymes with nine. French people will pronounce it the French way but I don't see why anglophones would

OverthinkingThis · 04/02/2020 15:12

Rhyming with 9, surely?

IsadoraQuagmire · 04/02/2020 15:13

If used for a French person, it has the same sound as Josephine.

Otherwise, I'd always pronounce it as in the song My Darling Clementine which I think is MUCH nicer.

Poppydaisies · 04/02/2020 15:15

I've only heard it pronounced Clemen teen.

That's in the Uk!

I don't like the -tyne pronunciation at all.

GlamGiraffe · 04/02/2020 15:16

Ryhming with 9. I've met a few and they've all pronounced it that way.

Elbeagle · 04/02/2020 15:32

I also know a few (in the UK) and all pronounce it ‘Clemen-teen’. How weird!

onalongsabbatical · 04/02/2020 15:37

I think you have a choice OP!

IdleLiz · 04/02/2020 15:40

Clementine - 9 like the song.

Seaandsand83 · 04/02/2020 15:40

Teen - sounds far prettier!

fallfallfall · 04/02/2020 15:46

3 syllables though; Clem Men Tine (rhymes with 9)