View Full Version : How do you pronounce "Rotring"?
ducatisteve
August 31st, 2007, 16:20
Just wondering....
Rot-Ring
Row-Chring
Rote-Ring
Roter-Ring
tribe125
August 31st, 2007, 16:29
Rote-Ring
meta4ick
August 31st, 2007, 18:07
Ruh roh. Isn't it Row-tring?
tribe125
August 31st, 2007, 19:16
Well, it's 'red ring' in German, and 'rot' is pronounced rote, so of the choices, rote-ring is closest, I think.
'Rote-ring' becomes 'row-tring' in speech - as long as you don't accent the 'w'.
meta4ick
August 31st, 2007, 20:30
(feeling the <sting> of moderation, Rick pulls another thread out of his hat.. .) Okay, how about "roe-tring".. .First of all, I'm not convinced the Germans have been pronouncing it properly, even though it is a German line. Americans pronounce plenty of things wrong. (or is it wrongly?) I concede that row-tring might not be good for people that actually pronounce their w's. After saying it aloud several times, I realize that I don't. "rote-ring" seems kinda choppy for my taste.
What's hard for me to believe is that we're actually having a conversation about this :)
WX1
August 31st, 2007, 21:30
I heard an AD at a brick and mortar pronounce Rotring, "Row Chring."
jkth
September 21st, 2007, 03:03
If you're to follow German pronunciation, then it's a little difficult to translate directly to English.
There's definitely no syllable between 'Rot' and 'ring' though. Also, the 'r' sound itself is rather different. In English, the 'r' sound tends to be produced at the very front of the palate, whereas in German, it's a back-palate sound. That goes for both r's here.
Now, try pronouncing the 'r' towards the back of your palate, and the 'o' sound as the o's you find in the wort 'soot' (not 'loot,' or 'pot'). There's a fairly defined change of syllable between 'Rot' and 'ring.' The 't' is very prounounced, as in the word 'pot.'
Sorry if this is overkill. :-)
Jens
PoliceDog
September 21st, 2007, 03:56
I would think that roe-tring might be closest (without getting into the differences between the guttural "r", etc.) I was born in Hamburg and went to public school there for the first few years.
jkth
September 21st, 2007, 04:30
That would work to an extent, Policedog. Except not the English pronunciation of 'roe' as the 'oe' sound there is not deep enough a tone. It's better than the other suggestions though.
I was born and grew up in Denmark - still here today. German is an every-day thing here and the most common sounds in Danish are the same as in German.
But as the best English approximation of the pronunciation, I agree that 'roe-tring' would probably be the likeliest to be successfully applied by most people here.
Jens
meta4ick
September 21st, 2007, 04:41
Guys, we have a problem. My girlfriend just read through this thread and thinks we have ALL lost our minds.
Jens, she is particularly worried about you. I told her you were from Denmark, however, and that she shouldn't worry.
jkth
September 21st, 2007, 05:07
:-d Maybe she's right, Rick? :-)
As for me, there's plenty of reason to be worried. I do have a slight alibi though: Degree in English (Soon finally finishing my Master's, btw) and therefore I've done a fair bit of work with phonetics a few years back. Language is my number one passion, although reading the general quality of my writing in here, one wouldn't know it. ;)
And yes, being Danish . . I know it explains a hell of a lot more than what most might expect. lol
Jens
meta4ick
September 21st, 2007, 17:40
I hear ya, Jens. Okay, Mr. English Major.. .here's one for you: What is the shortest word in the English language that contains all of the vowels? (that is, in their proper order)
I realize that's not exactly a Rotring issue.. .
(and congratulations in advance on the Master's)
jkth
September 22nd, 2007, 04:41
Don't be facetious. ;) I'll admit I googled that.
One of my favourite words, which may or may not relate to the above debate, is 'floccinaucinihilipification.' Not quite the longest word, but nearly!
And thanks. Now I just need to finish the damned thesis . .
Jens
meta4ick
September 22nd, 2007, 16:27
I have always liked pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. And I'm pleased to say that although I didn't Google it, I've probably mispelted it.
The flocci-word, however.. .makes me think. I know I've heard it. Gonna keep searching the memory banks until my head pops.
Shangas
May 1st, 2008, 12:41
Rot-ring. I wasn't aware it could be pronounced any other way...
Shangas is right, Rot-Ring, follow the German spelling. Rot= red in English