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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

archaic names: pronunciation

Hi,

(1) Ye Olde Tea Shoppe
(2) Summer Fayre

How are 'olde', 'shoppe' and 'fayre' pronounced?

The tail 'e' is silent in these archaic words ... so you pronounce them exactly as you do their current versions (old, shop, fair)?

Thank you!

mus-te
  

Top answer

Yes.

— Enoon

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6 Answers
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David Crystal in his recent "Spell it out" discusses about similar examples.

1. Copy right reasons play a role in coming with these kind of names
2. The way one comes up with such names is not arbitrary (at least for native speakers).

For instance, adding -e and geminating the last consonant is a process that native speakers use to name their kids. For instance, if some want
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MUSCOVITEso you pronounce them exactly as you do their current versions (old, shop, fair)?
Yes, including Ye = The, if you do it 'correctly'.

Still, most people don't know that the article "ye" is/was pronounced "thee", so they pronounce it "yee".

CJ
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Thank you, CalifJim!
CalifJimmost people don't know that the article "ye" is/was pronounced "thee", so they pronounce it "yee".
We poor English learners are checkmated again :-) ..... meaning it may not be easy for non-native speakers to distinquish between "ye = you" and "ye = the"?
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MUSCOVITEit may not be easy for non-native speakers to distinquish between "ye = you" and "ye = the"?
The instances of 'ye' as 'the' are so few and far between that it won't be a problem.
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