How do you pronounce provolone?

[JackieO]

My father was a cheesemaker his entire career, primarily producing mozzarella and provolone.

Before I was born, he had an Italian cheesemaker come to his factory and show the Wisconsinites how to manufacture provolone. It was always pronounced proh-vuh-loh-nee. I heard Giada pronounce it proh-vuh-loh-na on tv yesterday :rolleyes: -- not that I want to model my speech after hers. Anyway, listen to the pronunciation at dictionary.com:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/provolone

I'm in a snarky mood tonight.....

[Robyncz]

The trick with words that are adopted into a language from a foreign language is whether to pronounce them according to the rules of the base language or the rules of the language they are adopted into.

I think that's what's happening here. Giada is probably using a pronunciation that is closer to the Italian pronunciation than the English.

Or maybe not. I don't know Giada or Italian. I'm just guessing.

I speak German, and it is difficult for me to pronounce the English version of some words borrowed from German, such as "angst," which is pronounced with an /ah/ sound in German but is typically pronounced with a long-a sound in English.

[Canice]

Well, dictionary.com is wrong. Italian is a phonetic language and in order to say "provolonee" it would have to be spelled provoloni. The correct pronunciation is provoLOnay (best I can do without the official phonetic alphabet).
Yep, I totally get the change from one language to another (I consistently found English words a challenge in Italian because I didn't know what they did with the inflection and the fact that we have six more letters in our alphabet) so I guess that's why most people say "provolOWN". But I can't bring myself to say, just as I can't bring myself to say "paninis" (already plural, just like ravioli, spaghetti, etc.).

[sneezles]

Well, dictionary.com is wrong. Italian is a phonetic language and in order to say "provolonee" it would have to be spelled provoloni. The correct pronunciation is provoLOnay (best I can do without the official phonetic alphabet).
Yep, I totally get the change from one language to another (I consistently found English words a challenge in Italian because I didn't know what they did with the inflection and the fact that we have six more letters in our alphabet) so I guess that's why most people say "provolOWN". But I can't bring myself to say, just as I can't bring myself to say "paninis" (already plural, just like ravioli, spaghetti, etc.).


I just hate when foreign words are adapted to local linguistics! Texans are very bad about this as are Brits...murdering the word/words. There is no R in pasta and it is a soft a not the hard hard a as in cat...

Texas has b@stardized Llano and even resident Coloradans have done the same with the word Colorado...seems those Easterners adapted the pronunciation to their own lingo not the original Spanish pronunciation.


The correct pronunciation is provoLOnay (best I can do without the official phonetic alphabet).


Which is how I pronounce the word.

[JackieO]

Well, dictionary.com is wrong. Italian is a phonetic language and in order to say "provolonee" it would have to be spelled provoloni. The correct pronunciation is provoLOnay (best I can do without the official phonetic alphabet).


Frankly, I don't give a rat's a$$ about whether it's "ee" or "aa", just add the last syllable. It's NOT pro-va-lone.

And really, I just started this thread because I was so annoyed at that person who told us all off about scallop...:rolleyes: Everyone knows it rhymes with gallop. :D

ETA -- Given my experience, Canice is right. The accent is on the "LO" syllable.

[Canice]

I just hate when foreign words are adapted to local linguistics! Texans are very bad about this as are Brits...murdering the word/words. There is no R in pasta and it is a soft a not the hard hard a as in cat...

Heh, it always used to grate when I would hear Jamie Oliver do the hard-a "pasta" or "taco". Similarly, "fillet" with the final t pronounced.


Frankly, I don't give a rat's a$$ about whether it's "ee" or "aa", just add the last syllable. It's NOT pro-va-lone.

And really, I just started this thread because I was so annoyed at that person who told us all off about scallop...:rolleyes: Everyone knows it rhymes with gallop. :D


Oh, I'm sure we're all with you on this! I just wanted to point out that dictionary.com has it wrong. I met Mario Batali once and the only question I really wanted to ask him was whether Giada truly speaks Italian (obviously I didn't). I assume so, but she has pronunciations I've never heard - maybe speaks the Roman dialect? O! Angelina! Dove sei??

[Angelina]

Heh, it always used to grate when I would hear Jamie Oliver do the hard-a "pasta" or "taco". Similarly, "fillet" with the final t pronounced.



Oh, I'm sure we're all with you on this! I just wanted to point out that dictionary.com has it wrong. I met Mario Batali once and the only question I really wanted to ask him was whether Giada truly speaks Italian (obviously I didn't). I assume so, but she has pronunciations I've never heard - maybe speaks the Roman dialect? O! Angelina! Dove sei??

Dimmi! Che c'e'? Povera Canice!

[SusanMac]

Sneezles - my curiosity is piqued! What's the original pronunciation of Colorado??

[Shugness]

Frankly, I don't give a rat's a$$ about whether it's "ee" or "aa", just add the last syllable. It's NOT pro-va-lone.

That's how I've always pronounced it and never had anyone correct me. :o Maybe they just wanted to leave me alone. :D

[BucknellAlum]

Frankly, I don't give a rat's a$$ about whether it's "ee" or "aa", just add the last syllable. It's NOT pro-va-lone.

.

I can only imagine how everyone would react in the South Philly Italian market. Everyone who is South Philly Italian, that is to say, not "Medi-gahn" (American) seems to contract lots of Italian words.

Provolone would be "prov-lone" Then mozzarella would be "mutts-rell" and manicotti is "mono-gut," prosciutto is "pro-shoot." All those words lose at least a syllable. :D

[charley]

Frankly, I don't give a rat's a$$ about whether it's "ee" or "aa", just add the last syllable. It's NOT pro-va-lone.


I've always pronounced it like that. Cook's Thesaurus does too.

http://www.foodsubs.com/Chessoft.html

provolone Pronunciation: PROH-vuh-LOH-nuh OR PROH-vuh-LONE Notes: This Italian cheese is like mozzarella, only firmer and more flavorful. It's often used in sandwiches and on on pizza. Substitutes: Caciocavallo (lower in fat) OR Scamorza OR mozzarella OR kasseri OR smoked tofu OR cheese substitutes

[SusanMac]

Bummer - the now infamous 'scallops' thread is closed! It was crazy, weird & oddly entertaining to read. Definitely another Shermie moment. Such the drama queen.

All I can say is "mooooo" :-)

JackieO - very cool story about the Italians coming here to show your dad how to make cheese!

[ccooney]

Provolone would be "prov-lone" Then mozzarella would be "mutts-rell" and manicotti is "mono-gut," prosciutto is "pro-shoot." All those words lose at least a syllable.
That is how all my Italian NJ relatives pronounce them too. They make fun of people who pronounce the final vowel sound. The funniest sounding one? Capicola is gah-bah-GHOUL. :D

[suebear37]

That is how all my Italian NJ relatives pronounce them too. They make fun of people who pronounce the final vowel sound. The funniest sounding one? Capicola is gah-bah-GHOUL. :D

Same up here in Syracuse! One of my Italian friends pronounces provolone as "prev-a-lone". Just to add another pronunciation to the list!