Bolero

[millymollyminging]

I listen to audio books and bizarrely the last two both had the word bolero in them. As an item of clothing. In both cases they were pronounced Bol-aero, like the composition by Ravel that won Torvill and Dean their gold medal.

It’s Bol-er-o if it’s a bloody jacket!!

Rant over.

Both are bol-EH-roh.

No, a short jacket has always been a Bol-er-o - or it was when I was wearing them in the 60s…

They're both pronounced the same.

I definitely say Bol-eh-ro for both

I think it might be a north south pronunciation difference?

Well that’s blown my mind! I’ve always pronounced them both the same but I’ve just googled it and according to all the dictionary sites you are correct. Two different pronunciations for the two meanings. I’m just going to have to never say it again because boll-a-ro sounds so strange to my ears. Thank you for the education millymolly.

No, they're not.

I would agree with the OP, two different pronunciations. The jacket one is presumably anglicised while the musical one is in its original pronunciation. Maybe it’s an age thing, I also wore boleros in the 60s and 70s.

bol·ero
[bəˈlɛːrəʊ]
a Spanish dance in simple triple time.
a piece of music for or in the time of a bolero.
a woman's short open jacket.

@millymollyminging, What is the difference between Bol-er-o and Bol-aero?

Definitely two different pronunciations.

@cramptramp , what are the two pronunciations?
I only know bəˈlɛːrəʊ.

Are you saying the jacket is 'BOLL-er-o'?

I would have said BOL er o

I'd pronounce them both identically. I'll most likely continue to do that because to change it just won't feel natural to me and I am usually onside with the pedants in Pedants' Corner.

I think whether it's the jacket or the music, it's the same word, based on the same original Spanish word. I have heard the jacket pronounced BOL-uh-ro, but I think it sounds daft and I'm assuming it stems from a mispronunciation of the Spanish in the first place, so I shall have no truck with it!

I've only ever heard the jacket said as 'bol-ER-o'.

I’m with the OP. I have also been pronouncing the jacket as BOLL uh ro since the 1960s.

I suspect it’s an age thing.

@Fifthtimelucky , how do you say fedora?

I last wore a bolero for ballet in the early 60s. We probably said BOLero. I'd probably say BolAIRo now but it's not a word that comes up very often so I don't have strong opinions on it.

I pronounce Fedora as F’ DORE uh (emphasis on the DORE).

I have never heard it pronounced any other way, but then I have never heard anyone pronounce bolero (meaning jacket) any other way than BOLL uh ro.

Neither word comes up much in conversation though!

I pronounce them differently, like OP. For the music bolero I would sound like Bolairo and I'd be putting the emphasis on the 2nd syllable. For bolero the garment it would be something like bol-e-ro and I can't really hear much of an emphasis on any of the syllables, except maybe just a bit heavier on the third one.
Ravel's bolairo? Ravvle's bolero? What larks, Pip old chap.

i agree with Bolero but short jackets are also known as shrugs?

My ballet bolero wrapped round at the front and tied at the back. It wasn't a shrug.

It wasn't a bolero.

I am actually cracking up at the idea of someone calling their little cropped jacket a bol-air-oh. It's a bit Kath and Kim.

That's what it was called.