MacPherson [how to pronounce?]

Subject: MacPherson
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:23 AM

Friends of mine are going to do a radio show soon, and one of the songs they will be playing has the name 'MacPherson' in it.

Where I grew up (the Chicago-Milwaukee megalopolis) this name is pronounced Mac FIERCE son.

Here in the Kansas City region, it is pronounced Mac FUR son.

So I am taking a poll. How do you say it, and where are you from?

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:35 AM

Raised in Wyoming and Colorado - we'd pronounce almost like oyu do, but more muk-FEAR-sun.

My Rog, from New Hampshire, says it the same way.

Maybe the FUR is a reflection of a Scottish accent? In my mind, I can hear a friend or two who are Scots kind of rolling it and it sounding more like FUR than FEAR, actually a kind of blend of the two which sounds more like muk-FAIR-sun.:-)

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:50 AM

FER

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:54 AM

Sorry kat didn't notice the FAIR at the end.

I would be inclined to call the person "MACK FER-SON"..., but then, I'm a northerner, and our pronunciation can be more... cut-and-dried..., let's say... ;-)

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:55 AM

G'day leeneia and Kat,

Just tossing in my hat from a long way from Chicago / Milwaukee / Wyoming / Colorado and New Hampshire ... and even further from Scotland. I know a fair number of Australians with the surname M(a)cPherson ... and have dealt with a local engineering supplier of the same name ... and the only time I've ever heard the "MacFIERCEon" pronunciation (as against the commonly heard "MacFURson") is in the singing of MacPherson's Lament.

Regards,

Bob
Leichhardt, Sydney, Australia

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:05 AM

MacFearson is a pretty common Scottish pronunciation. I find that I switch back and forth between the two with no rhyme nor reason.
You think that's bad though. Ask any Scot how Dalziel and Menzies are pronounced. It's all about accents and local dialects.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:14 AM

'Dal-zell' and 'Men-zees' would be they way we would pronounce that, Jim; 'Dee-yell', and 'Ming-iss' tend to not roll off our tongues as well... ;-)

'Ming' does, in fairness.... ;-)

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 02:51 AM

That's right.
I met a fella "Hyslop" over here who pronounces his name "Highslop".
The list goes on.. "Montague" = "Montygew"

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:32 AM

Fur.

Now what about Fetherstonhaugh?

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:45 AM

Mac FER son is how it is pronounced around here in Orkney. The clan MacPherson Museum is in Newtonmore and they pronounce it the same way

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 05:12 AM

Listening to Davie Stewart's MacPherson's Rant (and the intro) on the CD of Alan Lomax recordings it's FER.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 05:38 AM

Fetherstonhaugh?

I would say Fetherston-HAW
....

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 05:57 AM

Errr..

Fanshaw ... ?

Bob

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 06:36 AM

I remember Reginald Bosanquet on ITN years ago, but his was a household name, so much so, that in our house his was pronounced backwards...: Dla-niger Tueq-na-sob.

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Newport Boy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 06:46 AM

There's the well-known Hyacinth Bouquet (spelt Bucket).

And I knew a Mrs Onions (pronounced Oh-nigh-ons - at least by her)

Phil

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: GUEST,Andy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 08:53 AM

And what about the Cholmondleys (Chumleys) and the Mainwarings (Mannerings)'They don't like it up 'em Captain Mannering sir!!'

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 09:13 AM

Well done Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 09:26 AM

Fairish.
Haugh is Hochhhhhhhhhhhh, as in Ochhhhhhhhhhh.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:43 AM

Megan L. seems to have the most authoritative view when she says

'Mac FER son is how it is pronounced around here in Orkney. The clan MacPherson Museum is in Newtonmore and they pronounce it the same way'

So just to make this crystal clear, Megan, when you write Mac FER son, you are calling for a short e sound, modified slightly by the r which follows, so that it would rhyme with mac PERSON, is that correct?

Someday I may go to the MacPherson, Kansas Scottish Festival, and I'd need to know.

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:45 AM

Forget Disneyland.

http://www.macfestival.org/

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:01 PM

Feastivil!

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From:
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:25 PM

Both are valid. Doesn't matter except to the other person

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 12:40 PM

I know a fellow named Jim MacPherson. He pronounces it "MacFERson." He does lean it slight toward "MacFEARson," but only slightly.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: MacPherson
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:19 PM

I once knew a man called MacPherson,
an incredibly amiable person
When asked "Is it 'FUR',
or 'FAIR', 'FIERCE'; perhaps 'FEAR'?"
He just softly replied, "I don't care, son"

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 04:55 PM

Don't forget some of the other pronunciations such as McGraw (for McGrath) and Strawn (Strachan).
Colyn.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 05:33 PM

McGweegin

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 06:18 PM

My formative years in the Scottish Highlands were spent amidst hordes of MacPhersons, and never once did I hear the name pronounced as anything other than MACK-FER-SUN. Never ever did anybody in native MacPherson country pronounce their name MACK-FEAR-SUN.

While we're at it the name MacKay is pronounced MACK-EYE (as in EYE of the storm) and not MACK-KAY (as in Kay Kendall if anybody remembers her ...)

Furthermore the name MacLeod is pronounced MACK-LOUD, and not MACK-LEE-ODD, as US immigration officials tend to assume. I would nevertheless almost prefer that they assume the incorrect pronunciation rather than assume that my name should be spelt "MacLoud" ...

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Duane D.
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 07:19 PM

Now that you know the proper pronunciation, feel free to strut about.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 07:23 PM

There are many who will not get that allusion, Duane ...

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 08:16 PM

I just asked a MacPherson I work with here in Texas. She says, "It's pronounced mick-FEAR-son ya'll". I gather from this thread that, in the old country, the ya'll is silent.
- Phil

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 09:32 PM

LOL...what fun.

Another one: McKeown pronounced Muk-yew-in.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Brendy
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:01 PM

Moran: 'More-in' not 'More-ann'

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Jim Lad
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:10 PM

Thank you Mr. Mac lee odd?

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Effsee
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:15 PM

FER...FerFS!

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Bee
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:22 PM

People would lok at ye funny if you said 'Mac FEARson in Cape Breton. MacFURson it is,

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Bee
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:22 PM

'Look'. The word is l-o-o-k, durn it.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Effsee
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:29 PM

There might be some advantages gained from a Gaelic opinion on this matter!

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 02:17 AM

As a young whippersnapper (pronounced "wip-a-snap-a") I worked with a fierce (pronounced 'fee-erse') Scottish lady whose name was Smellie. She pronounced it 'Smile-ee).

Just sayin'................ :-)

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Brendy
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 04:56 AM

Ole Gunnar Solskjær - Manchester United & Norway (soccer)

His has to be one of the most mispronounced names on British TV; no football commentator or newsreader that I heard, ever managed to get it right.
... it goes like this: 'Oh-leh Goon-our Soul-Shire'

I'll always remember Angela Rippon on BBC News as she wrapped her tongue around names like Ndabaningi Sithole.

... it's just sooooo easy to get it wrong....

B.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 01:45 PM

The preference seems to be for Mac FUR son except for Texas and Chicagoland, which go for Mac Fear son. Interesting.

It is also interesting that mac means son, and so the name means 'son of Pher's son.'

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Megan L
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 01:56 PM

MacPherson means son of the parson

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Jim Lad
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 02:25 PM

I think we came into this knowing that the Scottish accent changes by the mile but when Cape Bretoners start helping us out with our English, we know we're in trouble.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: JedMarum
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 02:30 PM

I grew up in the Boston area. I went to school with a couple of kids who were name Mac FEAR son ... so I never knew otherwise, until I was singing the song last year with Ed Miller and Brian McNeill - and Ed told me afterwards, "It's Mac FUR son."

So now I force myself to say FUR!

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 02:55 PM

One of the announcers on a local classical music station is very knowledgeable about music (having been an announcer at a classical music radio station, I know how that works:   read the back of the record jacket), but he has a very grating approach to pronouncing the names of composers and their works. I don't think he speaks any language but English, and in that, he does quite well. But with any foreign-sounding name, which most of them are, he must really strain his mouth a lot. He is forever putting the em-PHAH-sis on the wrong syl-LAHB-le and, in general, tries his damnedest to sound like he knows how to pronounce, French, German, Italian, and Russian names when it's so obvious that he's clueless.

Give him a name like MacPherson and remind him that it's Scottish, and he might trill the "R" for about three seconds.

He's on right now, playing some really nice music, but when he announces it, I'm afraid I wince a lot, smack my forehead with the palm of my hand, and pop another Rolaid. The other announcers there do just fine. Jeez, I wish someone would take the guy in hand!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 09:33 PM

Did you ever hear the story of Aimee McPherson?
Aimee McPherson, that wonderful person,
She weighed a hundred eighty and her hair was red,
And preached a wicked sermon, so the papers said.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 12:00 PM

'MacPherson means son of the parson'

That's interesting, Megan. Thanks. Did you know that parson is a variant of person? The parson personifies the church.
==
Don, I know what you mean about the radio announcer. Did you ever listen to the broadcasts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra that had that announcer who insisted on pronouncing it 'Or KES'tra'? He also pronounced princess 'prin CESS'. So affected!

I've often wondered where those announcers got the pronunciation for Dvorak which involves a Frenchified jh sound where some sort of r ought to be.

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 12:04 PM

"So just to make this crystal clear, Megan, when you write Mac FER son, you are calling for a short e sound, modified slightly by the r which follows, so that it would rhyme with mac PERSON, is that correct?" (Leeneia)
Ah, but how are you pronouncing PERSON? North of the Border it often comes out "Pairson", so we're back to "son of the parson" (or should that be "pairson"?

And the accent in Orkney is somewhat different from that in Newtonmore.
But as Brendy says, who cares?

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 12:15 PM

mackferrsn

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: PoppaGator
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 12:30 PM

Apropos of nothing much, I once met a guy named Roger Hitler.

Pronounced it "HEIGHT-ler." True story, I swear. This was in New York City, circa 1972-73.

I think that, to American ears, that (correct) "FER" sound, when spoken with one or another Scottish "accent*," might well be heard as "FAIR," and then might be further modified, unconsciousy, to "FEAR." This is my rationalization/explanation for the mispronunciation "McFEARson" which seems to be so very common in some areas of the US.

*Yeah, I realize that when a word is spoken in its own native dialect, it makes little sense to refer to an "accent" ~ it's other people's pronunciations that are "accented."

Subject: RE: MacPherson [how to pronounce?]
From: Brendy
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 01:22 PM

There was some footballer that played for Wales (I think), years ago. His surname was 'Death' - pronounced DEETH.

B.