Author Topic: do you pronouce 'luthier' the french way? (Read 59451 times)

gwEm · « **on:** May 20, 2008, 05:48:41 PM »

just interested... recently i've been corrected by a couple people for pronoucing 'luthier' not like the french word.

in the past i've said the word with the 'h' still intact. which is correct?

maverickf1jockey · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2008, 05:54:25 PM »

Perhaps they are right as it could be related to the word 'lute' which is an instrument related to the modern guitar.

They may also be quite Irish; Luthiery becoming Lute-iery.

WezV · « **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2008, 06:01:24 PM »

i luth as in lex luther... not going to argue about what the right way to say it is though... just going to keep doing it!!!

Dreichlift · « **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2008, 06:38:50 PM »

I've always pronounced it Loo-thee-er, how do the french make it sound? I'm assuming with my basic conversational french module that it'd be Looth-ee-ay

dave_mc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 20, 2008, 08:43:24 PM »

loo-tee-ay, presumably.

i dunno how i pronounce it. :lol:

Elliot · « **Reply #5 on:** May 20, 2008, 09:18:36 PM »

As Dave MC says - To be correct it is a hard 't' sound not a 'th' sound in it as it relates to a maker of Lutes (i.e. the French pronounciation)- but in reality that is only for pedants and many guitar makers call themselves 'loof-i-ers' like the sponge things you wash your back with, except with an added 'i'.

Roobubba · « **Reply #6 on:** May 20, 2008, 11:36:32 PM »

Quote from: Elliot

As Dave MC says - To be correct it is a hard 't' sound not a 'th' sound in it as it relates to a maker of Lutes (i.e. the French pronounciation)- but in reality that is only for pedants and many guitar makers call themselves 'loof-i-ers' like the sponge things you wash your back with, except with an added 'i'.

I can't believe that is the proper way for it to be said in English. After all, we don't say Restaurant like the French do, and that's one of their words! Off the top of my head, I can't think of any English word that uses a hard "t" when it's spelled "th", so why should this be an exception? There are probably some obvious ones I'm missing, though - it's late and I'm tired!

Roo

Will · « **Reply #7 on:** May 20, 2008, 11:43:05 PM »

Indeed, we are in England, lets speak in English!
Those around me have to understand what I mean when I want a croy-sant though.
(yes, I am actually serious :D )

_tom_ · « **Reply #8 on:** May 20, 2008, 11:52:09 PM »

Quote from: Will

Indeed, we are in England, lets speak in English!
Those around me have to understand what I mean when I want a croy-sant though.
(yes, I am actually serious :D )

:lol: I used to call them cross-saints :?

Luthier is loo-thee-err as far as I'm concerned :)

gingataff · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2008, 12:39:54 AM »

Am I the only one who pronounces it "Gi-Taa-Bill-Daa"?
:roll:

gwEm · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2008, 01:59:18 AM »

ok, i'm not wrong then :)

i like gingataff's pronouciation ;)

hamfist · « **Reply #11 on:** May 21, 2008, 09:08:58 AM »

It seems we are pretty much all agreed then. "Loo-Thee-err" it is !

Just remember to be careful on your pronunciation when you're in need of a quick re-fret half way through that french tour you've always dreamt of.

Elliot · « **Reply #12 on:** May 21, 2008, 03:04:40 PM »

Did anybody here passed GCSE English? because your consensus is wrong.

Fortunately, language does not operate on a democratic basis to be decided by some greebo metal heads on a pickup website. It is pronounced loot-i-er - the Oxford English Dictionary, Collins Dictionary, Webster's Dictionary and every other dictionary says so (even the ministry of disinformation, i.e. Wikipedia).

Even online dictionaries get it right: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/luthier

Furthermore, it does not mean gee-tar-mak-er as the word applies to makers and repairs of all types of stringed instruments (but particularly the French instrument known as the 'luth').

Those of you who have failed, be ashamed and stay over in detention until you have copied all words begining luth- out of the dictionary. :D

_tom_ · « **Reply #13 on:** May 21, 2008, 03:14:36 PM »

Quote from: Elliot

Did anybody here passed GCSE English? because your consensus is wrong.

:P

I got a B in both english GCSEs and I'm still cr@p at writing.

Philly Q · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2008, 03:39:36 PM »

Quote from: Elliot

Fortunately, language does not operate on a democratic basis to be decided by some greebo metal heads on a pickup website.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I agree - but in a sense it does operate on a democratic basis because "normal" pronunciation changes over time. The dictionary makers even change the meanings of words if enough people use them incorrectly for a long enough time :roll: .

I'm sure "loot-i-er" (or even "loo-tee-ay") is correct, but I still say "loo-thee-er". Init.