OK, I'm having a big problem with this

[little_bopeep]

All my life, when saying the name of the Danube River, I've pronounced it "Dan-yoob." And everyone else I've ever heard say the name pronounced it the same way. So Rob and I were studying for a history test, and apparantly the "Dan-oo-bee" River is very important. I corrected him on the pronunciation, and he came all unglued because I was wrong! His teacher told him how it was pronounced, and that's all there was to it!

"Dan-oo-bee???" Have I been wrong all this time?

[KLynn]

I always thought it was pronounced "Dan-you" -- but I don't really know.

[tbb113]

You are right...teacher is wrong. Go show Rob the dictionary.com definition and prounciation

[little_bopeep]

You are right...teacher is wrong. Go show Rob the dictionary.com definition and prounciation

Actually, I did that....and he was unimpressed. :rolleyes: He refuses to budge. So should I say something to the teacher? I'd hate to do that, but she's sooooooooooo wrong....

[sharris315]

Are you around the teacher often--that is, could you say something without making an "appointment" with her? If so, you might casually say that for some reason you are having trouble getting Rob to pronounce DANUBE correctly, and wonder if she could help you out with that--AND fit the word DANUBE into this conversation a couple of times. ;) You might add that you even let him listen to the correct pronunciation...

Shar

[sneezles]

This sight (http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/d/d0025300.html) has the audio pronuciation...teacher's dead wrong!

[tbb113]

I would mention it to her. It would be a shame for all of the kids not to know the right way to pronounce it...and when she admits to the kids she was wrong, they will learn that even teachers can be wrong sometime and that it takes a big person to admit it and that you can keep learning no matter what your age is. All good life skills :)

[Chefzhat]

Susan, the teacher is wrong wrong wrong. Gawd, what a jerk.

A related story - my COLLEGE geology professor calls the Himalayas (him-a-lay-as) the HIM-AL-A-YAS - emphasis on the second syllable. :eek: What a dweeb. We all laugh every time he does it. You go guy, pulling your kingdom power trip in the 100 level freshman class - *snort*. :D

Debie

[Robyn1007]

I would definitely say something. In fact, I think I would go about it by saying that you are concerned that not only is your son is being taught the wrong pronunciation but when challenged and given evidence contrary to the teacher's belief he is unwilling to reconsider. I truly think that there is a danger in people being so adamant that they are right even when presented with evidence to the contrary and I would be uncomfortable that my child was being influenced by that. We have all made pronunciation mistakes born from years of not knowing, its okay, but we should be willing to stand corrected.

[Ostrlisa]

Your son (and you) should also feel comforted by the fact that the German name of what we call in English "the Danube" is actually Der Donau. I might not point that out to the teacher, but it's just a tidbit to keep things in perspective.

[Schmee]

This sight (http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/d/d0025300.html) has the audio pronuciation...teacher's dead wrong!
That is a way cool sight! I have been playing with it for 10 minutes now!

[sage]

There is an alternate pronunciation of himalayas that has the accent on the second syllable.

him"u-lā'uz, hi-mäl'yuz

From: www.infoplease.com

I've heard it pronounced that way by folks from other countries---so it may be the common pronunciation in other places. The whole you say tomahto--I say tomayto thing.

FWIW.

-s.

[PAMMELA]

So what is the right way to say Danube? I've always said DAN-OOB.

(I can't listen to the audio).

[erinl]

Funny, sort of. The school district that I went to taught an Ohio history class in seventh grade. When my sister took it, the teacher mispronounced both the Scioto River and the town Chillicothe. My grandparents lived down that direction and we grew up knowing how to pronounce it correctly. My normally quiet sister finally got fed up and corrected the teacher. When I took the class three years later, the teacher did much better.

[Angelina]

Your son (and you) should also feel comforted by the fact that the German name of what we call in English "the Danube" is actually Der Donau. I might not point that out to the teacher, but it's just a tidbit to keep things in perspective.

True, but I don't think there is a 'Der'. That's just the article in front of it, like saying 'the' Danube.

[Ostrlisa]

You're right, "der" is the article. :)

[swquilts]

Your son (and you) should also feel comforted by the fact that the German name of what we call in English "the Danube" is actually Der Donau. I might not point that out to the teacher, but it's just a tidbit to keep things in perspective.

Ostrlisa - are you from Austria?? My mom was born in Vienna. If I could spell the German pronunciation of Austria, I would. :o Osterrich?

[mbrogier]

I really doubt that the waltz would have become as popular if everyone would have had to dance to "The Blue Dan-oo-bee" :D

I think it's pretty pretentious for that teacher to insist that her pronunciation is correct. I had a teacher like that in 3rd grade. She pronounced Colorado as Co-lo-RAD-o, not Co-lo-RAH-do, and no one could tell her otherwise. It was like fingers grating on a chalkboard to hear her mispronounce a word that is so common to a teacher.

I definitely think someone should correct this. You might not be able to get the teacher to acknowledge her mistake, but your son should understand a few things. 1. Teachers are not always correct. 2. Acknowledge when you are mistaken and definitely when you're shown proof 3. This hill isn't worth dying on, and he should choose his battles...arguing that his teachers pronunciation is correct over the dictionary isn't one of them. :rolleyes: ;)

[badunnin]

Ostrlisa - are you from Austria?? My mom was born in Vienna. If I could spell the German pronunciation of Austria, I would. :o Osterrich?

Oesterreich.

[little_bopeep]

I think it's pretty pretentious for that teacher to insist that her pronunciation is correct. I had a teacher like that in 3rd grade. She pronounced Colorado as Co-lo-RAD-o, not Co-lo-RAH-do, and no one could tell her otherwise. It was like fingers grating on a chalkboard to hear her mispronounce a word that is so common to a teacher.

I think I'm gonna have to go with your teacher on this one. I talk to customers in Colorado all day long, and 2/3 of them say "Co-lo-RAD-o." I've been told that this is the correct pronunciation, but not even everyone there uses it. But in Texas, Colorado City is "Co-lo-RAY-do City." :rolleyes:

Same with Nevada...I think natives say "Ne-va-da" with the 1st "a" sounding like the "a" in "apple." And my customers in Canada...they tell me that the correct pronunciation of Calgary is "Cal-GARY," but that most people are too lazy to say it right, so they say "CAL-gary." Go figger...

[Robyn1007]

I think I'm gonna have to go with your teacher on this one. I talk to customers in Colorado all day long, and 2/3 of them say "Co-lo-RAD-o." I've been told that this is the correct pronunciation, but not even everyone there uses it. But in Texas, Colorado City is "Co-lo-RAY-do City." :rolleyes:


Yep, Colorado native and I say Co-lo-RAD-o. Some say Co-lo-RAH-do but I believe most of us find either acceptable.....

[MKSquared]

Dan-Oooo-Bee would have really screwed up the fake lyrics to the Blue Danube Waltz .... "Oh Dan-yooooob so bluuuuuuuuue, we see you anewwwwwwwww" :p

[Kathy B]

Well, I am glad to know I am not the only one who ever called it the Blue Da-noo-bee! :D I said it to my folks when I was in HS, and I think they must have split a gut laughing at me. Needless to say, I have pronounced it correctly ever since. FTR, I had never heard the song, so I didn't realize it would mess up the lyrics. :o

[ClaraB]

And my customers in Canada...they tell me that the correct pronunciation of Calgary is "Cal-GARY," but that most people are too lazy to say it right, so they say "CAL-gary." Go figger...I'm from Canada, and I've always pronounced it CAL-gary :confused: . However, don't get me going on the pronunciation of Newfoundland (NEW-fund-LAND) - Americans often get it wrong...

[Kathy B]

OK, here's one for you.....how does everyone pronounce Iran? (Ear-on, no emphasis on either syllable) is correct according to DH, and it drives him crazy when news reporters say I-ran (as in "I ran" a race). :rolleyes:

[Chefzhat]

There is an alternate pronunciation of himalayas that has the accent on the second syllable.

him"u-lā'uz, hi-mäl'yuz

From: www.infoplease.com

I've heard it pronounced that way by folks from other countries---so it may be the common pronunciation in other places. The whole you say tomahto--I say tomayto thing.

FWIW.

-s.

Huh. Who knew.

He still sounds like a dork.

[fci5767]

Dan-Oooo-Bee would have really screwed up the fake lyrics to the Blue Danube Waltz .... "Oh Dan-yooooob so bluuuuuuuuue, we see you anewwwwwwwww" :p

Thanks to this thread, I've got the Blue Danube song going through my head constantly.

Thanks guys.

[MKSquared]

The version you hear is probably much nicer than the version I hear (http://www.handmadewebsites.com/mystuff/TheBlueDanube.ram) . My brother played the song on the bike pump about 15 years ago, and the song has never been the same since. (The link is not to my brother's performance, although my brother has been featured on one of the Funniest videos shows.)

[Jazzmatazz49]

That was great! Thanks for the link! :D

[momqat]

...although my brother has been featured on one of the Funniest videos shows.)
Do tell!!! :cool:
What happened in the video, and did he win the big prize?

[jpap]

Does anyone else remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon? That's how I learned how to say it.