Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco

Subject: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Max
Date: 09 May 00 - 12:43 PM

I know Rick Fielding knows the answer to this, but I've had some questions about this (arguments really). I've always thought it was pronounce Ani kind of like the A sound in taught or August. Aunee... Someone was arguing with me that it is actually like the normal Annie pronunciation, anyone know? Silly, I know, and SHE IS A FOLK SINGER, but I just thought I'd ask... Thanks.

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Tiger
Date: 09 May 00 - 03:53 PM

Ah-nee

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Peg
Date: 09 May 00 - 04:17 PM

yeah, I have heard it "Ah-nee" like when the doctor asks you to say "ah" as opposed to the "au" in August...before she got all famous most people said "Annie" but I guess exposure makes a difference in these things...

BTW, I think she is cool and admire her but I tire very quickly of listening to her sing...liked her earlier style of singing better than what she has done in recent years...

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 00 - 04:22 PM

Is there a prize?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: GUEST,Cara
Date: 09 May 00 - 04:32 PM

I'm sure it's Ah-nee (though Au-nee sounds equally correct to my Ohio ears). Same vowel sound in her last name too--DiFrAHnco.

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Max
Date: 09 May 00 - 04:48 PM

OK, how do I prove it? I have a rather adamant foe on this one.

Spaw, the prize is an all expense paid visit for me to visit your house to kick you in the ass for being so damn picky about reading an entire thread before posting to it. Our dear community survives the perils of the net and all you can do is ask for more...

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Gary T
Date: 09 May 00 - 05:18 PM

I too have heard "Ah-nee". Show the doubter this thread, and unless he can get Ani herself to say otherwise, we've got him way outnumbered.

Although Ani and her family could choose from among various possible pronunciations of their names, Ah-nee DiFrAHnco would be in line with European (in this case presumably Italian) pronunciation, as opposed to Annie DiFRANKo (rhymes with bank), which would be an Aglicized variant. There may well be some DiFrancos and DeFrancos who use the "bank" sound, but in Italy (or Spain or France or...) the "a" is pronounced like the "a" in "father".

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 00 - 06:33 PM

Its pronounced: Yah-cub Shmit-tul-hiney

She just spells it the other way to throw people off and induce them to start threads like this. Do I win?

Spaw---picky sumbitch

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Gary T
Date: 09 May 00 - 08:46 PM

Well, you ought to win something, Spaw! (BG)

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Bugsy
Date: 09 May 00 - 08:52 PM

I bet she'd answer to any of the above if you had her gig cheque in your hand.

Cheers

Bugsy? bUHgsy? bugsEE? bOOgsy?

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: sophocleese
Date: 09 May 00 - 08:56 PM

What would she answer to if you had her gig in hand? (She says crudely referring to an older thread about the meaning of the word gig)

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Mooh
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:18 PM

I was once harshly rebuked (by someone who claims to know her) for mispronouncing Ani's name. She too claimed it is "Ah-nee". I'm not sure why we're debating this, why doesn't someone (who knows how to do this sort of thing more readily than I) ask her? Just a thought. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: GUEST,CLETUS
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:50 PM

Now see Max, I dunno ifn this heers the same ol girl, but me an Buford used ta go roun with this gal what we nu as Anny the Frank. Everbuddy callt her that cuz she lookt like a frank, ya' know? Jez like a hot dog. She dint have no shape atall. But ya see the thing wuz sheed do it with anybody what wuz available like. Now that wudda bin Ok with us but see, she had 7 toes on her left foot an when ya reely got ta goin them 7 toes wud dig in more then the 5 on that the right foot an yud end up goin round in a circle sorta. Got ta be so bad we hadda stake her down jez ta keep frum gittin dizzy. Ifn this iz the ol girl you is wundrin bout, I reckon we cud axt her.

CLETUS

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Max
Date: 09 May 00 - 10:09 PM

Thanks cletus, that was very helpful. Rick Fielding knows her, I figured he'd see this thread and let me know for certain. Thanks all. No worries.

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 May 00 - 11:31 PM

Max! My humble apologies. That damn wife of mine has had me out back carrying stones the size of Catspaw's balls for her rock garden.

Yep it's Ahhhnie (as in "awning"). The embarrasing thing is that when I got to know her, SHE WAS OPENING FOR ME! Well, water seeks it's own level, thank God, and that situation changed quickly. She has a neat Mom, Elizabeth, who visits Toronto often.

Rick

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 May 00 - 11:37 PM

Well before Max completely loses it over this grand and verifiable news, perhaps we can give him another bet to win. How do pronounce Elizabeth?

How would that work out for you Mahhhxx?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Escamillo
Date: 10 May 00 - 01:16 AM

All you need is an authentic Spanish (and Italian)-speaking person, for example... Escamillo, le toreró de Granada..
Ani is clearly a contraction of Anita, and the last name is clearly Italian, so.. it is Ah nee Dee Frahn coh (note that "o" is flat, without the instictive "u" that every English-speaking people appends to the "o")
I´m learning so much English in this site, that you may well ask me for anything in Spanish !
Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: GUEST,wyowoman
Date: 10 May 00 - 01:54 AM

Well, Rick, you answered the first part of the question, which my daughter and I were just pondering last week, but what about the second? Is it DiFrAHnko or DiFrANKo?

And, hello all. I've moved out of windy Wyoming and am using my laptop until I get my desk, et al, set up here in my new place. Also will be scanning in photos from Dave and P.J.'s singaround as soon as ... (see above).

At any rate, I certainly do like a lot of Ani's music. Perfect for those days when you're feeling completely over the edge, or teetering dangerously on its brink. A friend of mine recently said that he couldn't even listen to her stuff because it all boiled down to "I hate men. Men suck." I don't get that out of it at all...

WW

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: Max
Date: 10 May 00 - 02:01 AM

For me, Ani matches that criterea I have for good songwriting, or a folk singer. That is, when I have her music on, I can't concentrate on anything else. There is no hate in her material, just truth.

Subject: RE: Correct Pronunciation of Ani Difranco
From: GUEST,Sam Pirt
Date: 10 May 00 - 06:51 AM

Some good news for UK catters. Ani is at CAMBRIDGE Festival this year (as well as 422!!)

Cheers, Sam