Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: BobKnight
Date: 21 May 09 - 04:47 AM

Another nice bouncy song is, "Willie's Gan Tae Melville Castle."

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 May 09 - 09:17 AM

I can find the lyrics for that, but not the tune.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: BobKnight
Date: 21 May 09 - 02:25 PM

I found quite a few versions on YouTube. Search for "Willie's Gone To Melville Castle." You'll find a version by the Corries, not a bad version by Big Stewart Parker,(never heard of him before) and further down the list a version by Robert Lovie which is a better recording - clearer.

Hope you like it. I don't sing it myself, but it's always been one of my favourites, along with "Jock O' Hazeldene."

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 May 09 - 05:24 PM

I found it, and I see what you mean. It's a good tune.

Subject: RE: Scots how to pronounce
From: MAG
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 12:11 PM

Bonnie George Campbell and other songs -- any guides on the correct pronunciation?

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: MAG
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 12:12 PM

tried to change the thread title; sorry.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: doncatterall
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 12:34 PM

As a non-gaelic speaker I used to address a friend called Mhairi as "Mahree" but she told me that the correct Gaelic pronunciation is "Vahree" (and was quick to correct anyone calling her "Mahree").


Don

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,Allan C
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 12:48 PM

"As a non-gaelic speaker I used to address a friend called Mhairi as "Mahree" but she told me that the correct Gaelic pronunciation is "Vahree" (and was quick to correct anyone calling her "Mahree")"

I'm not a Gaelic speaker myself but I am sure that the pronounciation differs when you are addressing the person. Hence speaking to Mhairi then you would prnounce it with a 'v' but when speaking about Mhairi then it would be with the 'm' - so in the song the correct pronounciation would be Mah-ree even in the Gaelic. And of course 99% of Scots or so aren't Gaelic speakers anyway

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 03:22 PM

If you're not talking to her it would be M rather than Mh, hence Mahree rather than Vahree.

The rules are pretty much the same as in Welsh, though the orthography's different.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: doncatterall
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:10 AM

Allan & Dave

I bow to you superior Knowledge

Don

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 11:02 AM

Well Andy Stewart always pronouced it Mar-ree in one flowing word.
Mind you he had a peculiar way of pronouncing trousers.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 11:10 AM

Leeneia mentioned another thread - google-earthing Dunoon?
Please tell me the name / date / subject of that thread?
(Just curious to see what was being said - I live in Dunoon -- !)

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 03:27 PM

I've made a couple tries at finding that thread for you, Gallus, but I can't find it. Perhaps someone else will have better luck.

Perhaps I made a mistake and the town under discussion was not actually Dunoon.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 07:11 PM

Thanks for trying - if it is my Dunoon, perhaps I can answer whatever the original Q was!!!

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 08:21 AM

Perhaps you were thinking of the Dooneen thread?

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST,Mairi
Date: 13 Feb 21 - 04:43 PM

It’s pronounced Maah-ree. It’s my name, so I should know how to pronounce it :)

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Feb 21 - 04:22 AM

The vocative Mhairi is not quite Vaaree. The initial consonant is a sound that doesn't occur in English - form your lips into more of a B shape and release the air more slowly than for a V.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 21 - 02:23 PM

another person called Mairi.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Jim McLean
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 04:32 AM

Two men were arguing over the pronunciation of Hawaii. One said Hawiee the other said Haviee so they asked a passing stranger to adjudicate. He said Haviee. “Thank you,” said the men. “You’re velcome,” came the reply.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 04:49 AM

My chemistry teacher back in the ‘60s used to pronounce Hawaii ‘Hay-way-eye’.

Oh, how we laughed! :-)

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 05:38 AM

Although I too pronounce this Mah-ree, just having the name Maire doesn't mean that how YOU pronounce it is necessarily the correct way; witness the number of Kinsellas and Costellos, for instance.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 10:18 AM

One of our Scottish newsreaders is called Mhairi Stewart: she pronounces her first name as with a V but a very short A (as in cat) rather than a longer AH.
The Irish Maire is different again.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: Felipa
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 10:36 AM

In both Iriah and Scottish Gaelic, there is often a change in the initial consonant when you address someone. A bit like saying yo, Joe instead of just Joe, one prefaces the address with the syllable "a". So I would address Máiri, "a Mháiri" and Sheamas, "a Shéamais". It is from this vocative case that the Anglicised Scottish names Mhairi and Hamish derive.

Subject: RE: Mairi's Wedding-how to pronounce Mairi
From: PHJim
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 08:53 PM

35 years ago, Maggie and I were piped out of the church after our wedding to an air called "The Lewis Bridal Song" which was the instrumental version of Mairi's Wedding.