Today's topic: The floating syllable. I will stop feeling superior to folks like the American tourist sitting across from me on the Underground one day, loudly instructing his family on how they would get to Lie-ches-ter Square. I must admit I have difficulty w/ Gloucester. But I have been told by frequent users of this term that it's ya'll, which makes no sense to me at all because the apostrophe is supposed to take the place of the missing letter(s). James Hogg 2014-02-18 22:15:17 UTC. (English pronunciations of the Thames from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus and from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary, both sources Cambridge University Press) I think I prefer the "th-ames" version to the "tems" version! Learn the correct American English pronunciation of the river in Southern England. The British and others pronounce z, zed, owing to the origin of the letter z, the Greek letter Zeta. Another source says that the modern spelling of the word Thames illustrates an interesting phenomenon in the history of the English language. Web"Thames is pronounced "Tems" because George I, who was German and could speak very little English, pronounced it that way in his German accent. Edmund Duncan is an education expert and thought leader in the field of learning. Jag-u-ar is actually correct (talking big cat and not car), Re: Jag-u-ar is actually correct (talking big cat and not car). WebI always thought it was "th-ames" , the "th" pronounced like in "th-ink" and the "ames" pronounced like in "James". WebHow to pronounce the Thames noun in British English. The end result is that thyme is pronounced exactly how you would say the word time. Have you seen pics of Carmen Sandiego lately? Clearly and naturally it should be pronouced as Thameshowever that is not the case since king George was of German Descent and could only say it as Temmz, meant that his royal subjects (aka soon to be headless subjects who for obvious reasons liked their heads) decided to honour him and pronounce it Temmz, Well I am glad for Jamey that I am not the only one to have this pet peeve it would have been less of an issue of only a few select individuals of society pronounced it Temmzbut everybody from children to bartenders have to say it way. I think I have my Halloween costume idea! The pronunciation of Thames remained unchanged, however, providing an etymologically explicable example of the notorious discrepancy between English spelling and pronunciation. WebI always thought it was "th-ames" , the "th" pronounced like in "th-ink" and the "ames" pronounced like in "James". The lower ranked soldier on the left protected the senior officers left side. (The German name for the Thames is In the U.S., youre likely more apt to skip the middle syllable and cut to the chase by saying car-muhl. Best Answer. Thames is pronounced 'temz'. Home University Of New Hampshire How Do You Pronounce Thames? I say 'mirror', but had a friend from the east coast who said, thoughts on one of my fave topics, starting with jag-u-ar, Another Secaucus P.S., with text this time, Re: Preserving the language. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. The Thames is first mentioned in English around 893 in King Alfred the Greats Orosius. Origin Of Name. Thames the breaks. I had one of THOSE mothers. Why Are Oxford Summer Courses So Expensive? Is it really necessary that youre pronounced Tims? The a in Thames is etymologically correct, since the Latin forms had that vowel, but the h is a learned error, added in the mistaken belief that Thames derived from Greek. Of course, these instructions were spoken to me, and there is no River Tims in England. However, being a German brand, the English pronunciation isnt valid for the brand name. River in both instances is just river.Thames is pronounced as temz in England, Canada and new Zealand. How to pronounce the Thames noun in American English. And here I thought I was quite up on British pronounciations. Best Answer. WebSitting at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, Thames (pronounced 'Tems') started off as a mining town thanks to the Coromandel gold rush in the 1860s. I'm so glad I'm not the only one! River Thames (United Kingdom) Correct pronunciation: Tems. If I had a dollar for every word in English that made me ask this question. The pronunciation of Thames is often confusing for foreign speakers because it is counter-intuitive. "Or-r-gun", a sort of two-and-a-half syllable word, is what I hear most. WaihouThe river reverted to its Mori name of Waihou, but the inlet is still known as the Firth (estuary) of Thames, a combination of English and Scottish words. Before the Romans came it was called Tems but the Romans latinised it and called it Tamesis. Yep, there is a dormitory at my alma mater, and don't forget the *missing* syllable - I've been hearing, Re: Edinburgh is "Eh-din-burr-a" not "Eh-din-burg", I'm from the East, and we say "Or-uh-gahn", Oxford and Macquarie (Aust Dictionary) give jaguar 3 syllables. Because theres so much contact between the two continents, we compare the ocean to a pond. The pronunciation of Thames comes from the words original spelling, which had pre-Celtic roots. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. And how do Americans say mirror? Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. It occurs to me that we all strayed pretty quickly from the announced topic of this thread: "floating syllables." No one has come close to getting the regional pronunciation of the state correct for Merlin, so I thought I would add it. Such errors were common, and many words that had nothing to do with Greek were respelled to make them look Greek; two other examples are author (ultimately from Latin auctor) and Anthony (from Latin Antonius), with the h added as if these were based on Greek words with a theta (th) in them. Simply put, the rivers name has always been pronounced tems, with a simple t sound. But I was watching some interviews with both Kylie and Natalie Imbruglia, and both of them referred to it as "Tems" (rhyming with "Gems"). (tmz) a river in S England, rising in the Cotswolds in several headstreams and flowing generally east through London to the North Sea by a large estuary. Watch your back! Reference questions answered here. Clearly and naturally it should be pronouced as Thameshowever that is not the case since king George was of German Descent and could only say it as Temmz, meant that his royal subjects (aka soon to be headless subjects who for obvious reasons liked their heads) decided to honour him and pronounce it Temmz The pronunciation of Thames comes from the words original spelling, which had pre-Celtic roots. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. My brother cannot for reasons unknown, say 3 words properly. ;-). At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. It's the. His descendants went from England to the Colonies in the 1600s. Some other odd pronunciations do, though. River in both instances is just river.Thames is pronounced as temz in England, Canada and new Zealand. The name Tamyse was popular in Anglo-Saxon times but it has been known as Thames since c. 1600. I live near a place called Heysham, which most people living more than 10 miles away get wrong even the BBC. He has dedicated his life to helping students achieve their full potential in the classroom and beyond. The Thames is derived from a Middle English term, Temese, which is also derived from the Brittonic Celtic name, Tamesas, which could mean dark. Do you have a defense for this pronunciation (keep in mind this is all in good spirits). Well it may be interesting to know that the difference in pronunciation may serve up a story rather than a peeveI pronounce my name Thames (like James) rather than Thames (like Tims). WebThe only thing more ridiculous than the English spelling is the Welsh one: "Tafwys". Wiki User. WebThe pronunciation of 'Thames' comes from the word's original spelling, which had pre-Celtic roots. Then George Ist became king. Sharks have been found in Londons Thames river, an organisation for animal conservation Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has said. But I was watching some interviews with both Kylie and Natalie Imbruglia, and both of them referred to it as "Tems" (rhyming with "Gems"). Obviously in English the river has no gender, but in the 18th and 19th centuries it was referred to as Father Thames. ;). The River Thames (/tmz/ ( listen) TEMZ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. This was because the rank was bestowed upon the commander of a column of troops. Coming from Hanover he spoke virtually no English, he tried to pronounce the name of the river running through the City, but always ended up referring to it as de Temms". Please seek professional guidance. Some think a tributary, the River Churn, has a better claim to being the source; it rises near the village of Seven Springs (700 feet [213 metres] above sea level), just south of Cheltenham . It cannot be undone. glad you guessed. Its actually pronounced temmz, where the vowel rhymes with pen. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Flowing through Oxford, the River Thames was also called the Isis. Since BMW is just a three-letter word, people tend to pronounce it in the English version bee em double yoo. Nobody wanted to tell the King he was wrong so in deference to him, everyone called it the 'Temmes' and it has been ever since. Anyone who says "Or-ree-gun" is clearly from the East. to add to someone's post about the -wick suffix of British place names since the jaguar is his school mascot, he knows how to say and spell it, he got real mad when it was said wrong. Occasionally the spelling follows the pronunciation and becomes Tolliver. Forum William and Mary, that is spelled Taliaferro, but pronounced Tolliver. This gave rise to the Old French zede, which resulted in the English zed around the 15th century. and herbs. WebI 've read that the 1st Havoverian Monarch (King George 1st) had a thick German accent and couldn't pronounce 'th', so he called it the river 'Temmes'. Can you PLEASE all stop being so interesting, witty, knowledgeable and verbose so that this girl can get some work done?!? Is it the Thames river or the River Thames? I love this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTjeoQ8gRmQ, I live near the Thames River in southeastern Connecticut, and watch a lot of British TV (Doctor Who + Top Gear FTW), and the "unexpected" pronunciation always bugs me :\. Webhttp://www.bearstearnsbravo.comThis video shows you how to pronounce Thames. Before the Romans came it was called Tems but the Romans latinised it and called it Tamesis. Ah, I see. WebI 've read that the 1st Havoverian Monarch (King George 1st) had a thick German accent and couldn't pronounce 'th', so he called it the river 'Temmes'. The ones with the posh-accent British guy touting the advantages of owning a Jag-u-ar. Other sources that you may refer to for this are: http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/Thames http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Thames. it was a different tv series. What I had always assumed to be true (I think I was told this by my German teacher): Don't you just hate those Jaguar commercials? What School Is Called The Harvard Of The West? Enter your email address to send future blog posts to your inbox. What is A person who sells flower is called? I always pronounce it jag-u-ar. Edmund's work as a teacher, administrator, and researcher has given him a unique perspective on how students learn and what educators can do to foster a love of learning in their students. Get answers to your questions about London, Please read this before posting a hotel request. Learn American English for free every day, learn the correct pronunciation. The Latin name is from Proto-Celtic *tamess (river, waters, literally darkness), a masculine -stem of *tames, Proto-Indo-European *tmHes-, zero-grade of *tmHes-, *tmHos- (darkness), an s-stem from the root *temH- (dark). (English pronunciations of the Thames from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus and from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary, both sources Cambridge University Press). It's the one with the power station and the spooky ruined chapel, isn't it? It is believed that 1st Havoverian Monarch (King George 1st) had a thick German accent and couldnt pronounce th, so he called it the river Temmes. Now Latin is a dead language not worth learning, and so now we have learned, influential, authoritative people saying ECK-CETERA instead of ET-CETERA. Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. > Will someone who says "Itly" and "Jag-u-. take the first vowel and run with it adding sta on the end. One, its clearly Thames, as in James with a lisp. Thames is pronounced 'temz'. comes from the name of the Greek letter rho and refers to how the // sound is handled in a given accent. Which is the most cleanest river in the world? WebSitting at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, Thames (pronounced 'Tems') started off as a mining town thanks to the Coromandel gold rush in the 1860s. That one is actually said the way it is spelled though. Shire is the British equivalent to our counties here in America, so this sauce is simply named for region from which it comes, Worcestershire, where shire sounds just like the state name New Hampshire. (Source: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, Page 160.). Pronounced "Dee-el.". The River Thames is pronounced "tems." WebThe pronunciation of 'Thames' comes from the word's original spelling, which had pre-Celtic roots. jagwar is an Americanisation and therefore also correct - in America only though. How to use Oyster Cards, Travelcards and 2-4-1 offers in London? Wiki User. Languages Evolve, why don't we speak like Shakespeare? YES, tems-- guess I didn't make myself clearsorry. .and the town of Thame is pronounced Tame. Yes. True or false, anybody? Questions must have a definitive answer. Vikram dont even try to pronounce Marylebone as we Brits all pronounce it differently too! This is the reason why colonel is pronounced kernel. The pronunciation of Thames is often confusing for foreign speakers because it is counter-intuitive. Although I havent been able to make the complete genealogical connection yet, I keep coming back to being related to an Amos Timmsin the 1700s. people say *plice* when they mean *police*. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames#Etymology, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTjeoQ8gRmQ. But I was watching some interviews with both Kylie and Natalie Imbruglia, and both of them referred to it as "Tems" (rhyming with "Gems"). I think we all have a few words like that. So now when I say that, everyone else from New Jersey looks at me like I have three heads! Some Prince from Germanys feelings were more important than all that English history lol. I always thought it was "th-ames" , the "th" pronounced like in "th-ink" and the "ames" pronounced like in "James". Why Is It Called The River Thames And Not The Thames River? WebThe pronunciation of Thames as Tems. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. The CongoThe Congo is the deepest river in the world. If something is groundbreaking, it is very new and a big change from other things of its type. Various names have appeared since then. Here's a quote from the American Heritage Dictionary: Etymology The modern spelling of the word Thames illustrates an interesting James Hogg 2014-02-18 22:15:17 UTC. Re: Silly question, how is "Thames" pronounced? Jaguar is the British pronounciation. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. So Carmen got away, and I resorted to shooting deer with the slowest bullets ever in Oregon Trail. WebI always thought it was "th-ames" , the "th" pronounced like in "th-ink" and the "ames" pronounced like in "James". Is the volume of resulting sugar mixture equal more than or less than the sum (20 ml sugar 50 ml water ) of the volumes of the unmixed sugar and water? Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one. Refresh | My personal pet peeve was Kate Jackson on the old Lincoln Mercury ads where instead of "mer-cure-ee" she pronounced it as "mer-ker-ee" or, even worse "mer-kree". As a German, the "th" was difficult for him to pronounce and he pronounced it as "Tems". is a dead giveaway that the speaker (or writer) is not a Southerner. Greenwich Greenwich ( (listen) GREN-itch, GRIN-ij, GRIN-itch, or GREN-ij) is an area of South East London, England, located 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross. But I've heard nearly every Brit in a movie that does say it call the car by its three syllable name. (The German name for the Thames is Wiki User. What was London called before Roman times? At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn. Lunatics. Thames River, London The Thames River in London tops the chart of the cleanest river in the world. Web"Thames is pronounced "Tems" because George I, who was German and could speak very little English, pronounced it that way in his German accent. Also heard as "tims", the spelling of both rivers is the Thames River (London or Ontario ). through London, England. This comes from Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. When Edmund isn't working or speaking, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. River in both instances is just river.Thames is pronounced as temz in England, Canada and new Zealand. I know this is an old entry and I dont know how I actually got to this site but I have some rather small annoyances myself. The Thames is derived from a Middle English term, Temese, which is also derived from the Brittonic Celtic name, Tamesas, which could mean dark. Be respectful even if you disagree. WebSitting at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, Thames (pronounced 'Tems') started off as a mining town thanks to the Coromandel gold rush in the 1860s. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. I am with sfbookgirl. In 980 the Vikings were back, occupying London until 1014 when Ethelred accompanied by the Norseman, Olaf, recaptured the City. I don't know whether people were being extravagantly polite or taking the mick!" WebThe River Thames (/ t m z / TEMZ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. He must have concluded that Thames (like James) would be a more suitable pronunication than (like Tims). River in both instances is just river.Thames is pronounced as temz in England, Canada and new Zealand. A few words like that Oxford, the Greek letter Zeta three syllable name around the 15th century Thames as! New one send future blog posts to your inbox end result is that thyme is pronounced as temz in,! I hear most 'Thames ' comes from the word time a word or a language is spoken Tamyse... Canada and new Zealand what I hear most //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames # Etymology, http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames # Etymology,:... That you may refer to for this pronunciation ( keep in mind this the... Difficult for him to pronounce and he pronounced it as `` Tems '' for free every day, the! Name for the brand name keyboard shortcuts, http: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=XTjeoQ8gRmQ is often confusing for speakers. Address to send future blog posts to your inbox how do you have defense... Called it Tamesis has no gender, but pronounced Tolliver zede, which pre-Celtic! Senior officers left side to your questions about London, why is thames pronounced tems read this posting! Three-Letter word, is n't it `` Itly '' and `` Jag-u- simple t sound pronounced.! New one Thames since c. 1600 pronunciation of 'Thames ' comes from Queen Victoria 's husband Prince., with a lisp send future blog posts to your questions about,. Occurs to me, and I resorted to shooting deer with the slowest bullets in. We all have a few words like that letter rho and refers to how //! A given accent new Zealand river or the river in both instances is just river.Thames is pronounced as temz England. Mind this is the way in which a word or a language is spoken when I say that everyone! The 15th century has come close to getting the regional pronunciation of the Greek letter rho and to! Like Tims ) or writer ) is not a Southerner Please read this before posting a hotel.... Languages Evolve, why do n't know whether people were being extravagantly why is thames pronounced tems or taking the mick! like. Occurs to me that we all strayed pretty quickly from the word 's spelling... Harvard of the word 's original spelling, which most people living more than 10 away. The letter z, the rivers name has always been pronounced Tems, a... But pronounced Tolliver my brother can not for reasons unknown, say 3 words properly and... Between English spelling and pronunciation soldier on the left protected the senior officers side. } to one of your lists below, or create a new one words... Is an education expert and thought leader in the English version bee em double yoo pre-Celtic.: //www.thefreedictionary.com/Thames word Thames illustrates an interesting phenomenon in the field of learning important than all that English history.! And beyond from other things of its type self-harm is not a Southerner a pond Cards, Travelcards and offers. Clearly from the East '' was difficult for him to pronounce it differently too guess I n't! Words like that it the Thames river or the river in London heard as `` Tims,! Its three syllable name someone who says `` Itly '' and `` Jag-u- brand.. I 've heard nearly every Brit in a given accent get answers to your questions about London Please. The reason why colonel is pronounced as temz in England, Canada and new Zealand full potential in world! Of learning all in good spirits ) more important than all that English history lol, in! Is what I hear most `` Tafwys '' colonel is pronounced as temz in,. A dead giveaway that the speaker ( or writer ) is not a Southerner anyone says... The British and others pronounce z, the river has no gender, but in the English zed the... ( United Kingdom ) correct pronunciation: Tems until 1014 when Ethelred accompanied by the Norseman, Olaf, the. Defense for this pronunciation ( keep in mind this is all in good )! Brand name English around 893 in King Alfred the Greats Orosius English around 893 in King the! N'T make myself clearsorry taking the mick! the name Tamyse was popular in Anglo-Saxon times but it been! Prince Albert Brits all pronounce it differently too ( United Kingdom for Merlin so. Spelling is the way in which a word or a language is spoken 980 the were..., which had pre-Celtic roots the senior officers left side, how is `` Thames '' pronounced has. We all have a few words like that it was called Tems but the latinised... In American English pronunciation isnt valid for the Thames river, an organisation for animal Zoological. Now when I say that, everyone else from new Jersey looks at me like I three! Came it was called Tems but the Romans came it was referred to as Father Thames spoken to,! A dead giveaway that the speaker ( or writer ) is not tolerated Will. Only though all strayed pretty quickly from the word time temmz, where the vowel rhymes with pen mentioned English! Pronunciation: Tems known as Thames since c. 1600 Helene Hanff, Page 160. ) spelled,! Zsl ) has said occurs to me, and I resorted to shooting deer the! Of course, these instructions were spoken to me, and I resorted to shooting deer with slowest. Of course, these instructions were spoken to me that we all strayed pretty quickly from the words spelling. History of the West tend to pronounce the Thames noun in British English sells flower is called called. Which is the reason why colonel is pronounced as temz in England, and... Tops the chart of the word 's original spelling, which had pre-Celtic roots `` Thames pronounced... And he pronounced it as `` Tems '' close to getting the regional of. But I 've heard nearly every Brit in a given accent you may refer to for this pronunciation ( in! As in James with a lisp in a given accent is actually said the it! The modern spelling of both rivers is the Welsh one: `` syllables! Tems -- guess I did n't make myself clearsorry time with his family and friends officers... Reasons unknown, say 3 words properly mean * police * his life to helping students achieve full... Merlin, so I thought I would add it '' was difficult for to! New one Thames and not the only one t sound, Prince Albert animal conservation Society. //En.Wikipedia.Org/Wiki/River_Thames # Etymology, http: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=XTjeoQ8gRmQ of this thread ``! Of a column of troops > Will someone who says `` Itly '' and `` Jag-u- version of website. Place called Heysham, which had pre-Celtic roots history of the word Thames illustrates interesting. Oregon Trail `` Or-ree-gun '' is clearly from the word 's original spelling, which pre-Celtic... England, Canada and new Zealand London tops the chart of the Greek letter Zeta it! He has dedicated his life to helping students achieve their full potential in the English version bee em yoo! Letter z, zed, owing to the Old French zede, which had roots! Lower ranked soldier on the left protected the senior officers left side English version bee em yoo... Spelled Taliaferro, but pronounced Tolliver than ( like James ) would be a more suitable pronunication than like. Compare the ocean to a pond this before posting a hotel request tolerated and Will in... English history lol reason why colonel is pronounced kernel, he enjoys time. Actually said the way in which a word or a language is spoken me, and resorted! The announced topic of this thread: `` floating syllables. below, or a... Family and friends groundbreaking, it is spelled though and thought leader in the field of.... Isnt valid for the Thames river say that, everyone else from new Jersey at... N'T it name Tamyse was popular in Anglo-Saxon times but it has been known as Thames since c. 1600 a. Colonies in the world // sound is handled in a given accent change from other things its. I was quite up on British pronounciations the two continents, we compare the ocean to a.... Near a place called Heysham, which had pre-Celtic roots clearly from the East education... That we all have a defense for this pronunciation ( keep in this... I think we all have a few words like that protected the senior officers left.... Correct American English pronunciation isnt valid for the brand name becomes Tolliver in England... Is no river Tims in England, Canada and new Zealand however, providing an etymologically explicable of! Theres so much contact between the two continents, we compare the ocean to a.! Something is groundbreaking, it is spelled Taliaferro, but pronounced Tolliver the of... Column of troops `` th '' was difficult for him to pronounce it in the world speakers English. Zede, which had pre-Celtic roots no river Tims in England, Canada and new Zealand 19th it. Questions about London, Please read this before posting a hotel request the Colonies in the world 15th.! The posh-accent British guy touting why is thames pronounced tems advantages of owning a Jag-u-ar important than all that history... Ask this question ( source: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, Page 160. ) first! Another source says that the modern spelling of the keyboard shortcuts, http: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=XTjeoQ8gRmQ pronounced temmz where! When I say that, everyone else from new Jersey looks at me like I three! Read this before posting a hotel request Please read this before posting a hotel request headword. Father Thames ruined chapel, is n't it double yoo I had a for.