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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
Last name pronunciation
I need some opinions on a friend's last name. His name is McElroy and he pronounces it "Mackle-roy". To me, it looks like it should be "Mick-ell-roy". Anybody have a clue as to how it should be pronounced? Everyone ALWAYS says his name wrong and it makes him mad. So I was wondering, has he just been saying his own name incorrectly?
Top answer
I have a friend a friend whose surname is McHarg. She pronounces it 'mack-arg'. And try ponouncing John McIntire as 'mack-in-tire' and 'mick-in-tire'.
- I have a friend a friend whose surname is McHarg.
- She pronounces it 'mack-arg'.
- And try ponouncing John McIntire as 'mack-in-tire' and 'mick-in-tire'.
- The second sounds ridiculous.
- I think your friend's correct.
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31 Answers
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I have a friend a friend whose surname is McHarg. She pronounces it 'mack-arg'. And try ponouncing John McIntire as 'mack-in-tire' and 'mick-in-tire'. The second sounds ridiculous. I think your friend's correct.
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I think you would have a hard time convincing anybody that he is pronouncing his own name incorrectly. On the other hand, if most people pronounce it the other way maybe he should stop getting mad, and just say "my family pronounces it differently."
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My last name is McElroy. It's pronounced like your friends, mackle- roy.
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Like the tennis player John McEnroe (Macken-roe).
I've always gone with the principle that you should respect how someone pronounces their own name, even if it grates with you! For example, the way many Americans with perfectly pronouncable continental European names (eg Wagner or Schwarzenegger...) "Americanize" the pronunciation. Sorry! that's just one of my pet hates!
I've always gone with the principle that you should respect how someone pronounces their own name, even if it grates with you! For example, the way many Americans with perfectly pronouncable continental European names (eg Wagner or Schwarzenegger...) "Americanize" the pronunciation. Sorry! that's just one of my pet hates!
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My mother's maiden name is McElroy, and it is pronounced Mick-El-roy. To my knowledge both are accepted pronunciations, Mackle-roy being the Scottish pronunciation and McElroy being the Irish.
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Mc is short for Mac, like McDonalds
in the same way that St is short for Saint.
in the same way that St is short for Saint.
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when the name is of scottish origin it typically is pronounced with a "Mack". Irish names are "Mick-" My boss is Alan McDonald and he is Scottish, so it is pronounced Mack-Donald unlike the hamburger joint.
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I've always heard that if the portion of the name after the Mc begins with a vowel, the name is pronounced with stressed MACK. Otherwise, it's unstressed mick, mi before c, k, or g (McGihon = mi - GHEE-in).
It works for McElroy, McIntyre, and McAbee. MACK -el-roy, MACK -in-tire, MACK-a-bee.
I say mick-DONald.
Is this 'rule' not correct?
CJ
It works for McElroy, McIntyre, and McAbee. MACK -el-roy, MACK -in-tire, MACK-a-bee.
I say mick-DONald.
Is this 'rule' not correct?
CJ
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I'm not sure you can create a rule that works 100%, what with Mcs and Macs and Irish and Scottish differences.
Over here the unstressed version isn't pronounced 'Mick' it's M-schwa-c - more of a muhc.
Over here the unstressed version isn't pronounced 'Mick' it's M-schwa-c - more of a muhc.
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I stand corrected. I was approximating the schwa with the letter i. I meant schwa.
Does the 'rule' work even 80%?
CJ
Does the 'rule' work even 80%?
CJ
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