19-11-2003 20:49									#1
	A petty point of German pronunciation. Enter the AD-FREE zone

Is the prefix 'uber' pronounced like OO-ber, OY-ber, or some other way entirely? The reason I ask is that I referred to Bill Gates as the Uber-Goober a while ago only to have my dad tell me the rhyme didn't work because the word is pronounced with a weird guttural twitch at the beginning; oy-ber. But then, everyone else in America says oo-ber, and a guy won honorable mention in this week's Style Invitational for using my coined word, though he only meant a giant peanut. Naturally I'm a little irked. Can the German speakers of 'poly sort me out?

	19-11-2003 20:57									#2
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http://www.wm.edu/CAS/modlang/gasmi...n/ue/index.html
http://www.ex.ac.uk/german/abinitio/pronounce/

edit: I think the ü in über is a "long ü".

I'm not German or an expert in German though, but I've always pronounced it like somewhere between oo and ee.

Last edited by Gangerolf on 19-11-2003 at 21:03

	19-11-2003 22:32									#3
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I'd pronounce it ooober. And I'd rhyme oober goober just fine. Although I wouldn't understand what I'd said.

	19-11-2003 22:48									#4
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ü == ue, often pronounced like a long oo with a different sort of ending, but not like how your dad says it.

früh == froo
Prüfung == proofoong

	19-11-2003 22:59									#5
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nope. I don´t think there´s any word with an ü-similar pronounciation in English language.
the pronounciation of the u in words like turn or burn comes closest to the German ü.
if you know some Frensh, you can also try fumer (=to smoke). the u is pronounced like our ü.

	19-11-2003 23:00									#6
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Is it pronounced like the word "ewe"?

	19-11-2003 23:01									#7
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nah... the u in turn and burn is more like the German ö isn't it?
If not then what's the English equivalent of the ö?

	19-11-2003 23:14									#8
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quote: Originally posted by Gangerolf nah... the u in turn and burn is more like the German ö isn't it? If not then what's the English equivalent of the ö?

actually yes. the turn - u is closer to ö than to ü. it´s not exactly an ö. I think word or work would be better examples to describe an ö.
but as I said, there is no English word with an 100% ü-pronounciation, at least none that I know of.

	19-11-2003 23:25									#9
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There was a thread about the pronunciation of upsilon a while back. The German ü is like that, but the sound doesn't exist in English. Try forming your lips as if to say OO, but try to say EE instead. That should be an approximation.

	19-11-2003 23:27									#10
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quote: Originally posted by Kitschum There was a thread about the pronunciation of upsilon a while back. The German ü is like that, but the sound doesn't exist in English. Try forming your lips as if to say OO, but try to say EE instead. That should be an approximation.

cool, it würks.

	19-11-2003 23:35									#11
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http://www.wm.edu/CAS/modlang/gasmi...n/pronunce.html

Edit: oh, seems like Gangerolf already posted that link (or at least to the same site anyway)

	19-11-2003 23:43									#12
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you googled for "german pronounciation" too?

	19-11-2003 23:46									#13
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damn you guys are weird, not only do you mix up diphtongs, you don't even know how to pronounce umlauts.

	19-11-2003 23:47									#14
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Kitschum

	19-11-2003 23:49									#15
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Yeah, I first tried to put it in words, but since English has nothing even remotely similar...

	20-11-2003 00:13									#16
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hi Locutus, I forgot your first name

	20-11-2003 02:33									#17
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Hey, Andy, it's Wouter

I don't think I used it much at the Meet, since I feared most of the people there couldn't remember, or even pronounce it

	20-11-2003 02:57									#18
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like Walter?

	20-11-2003 03:06									#19
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Close, but no sigar

	22-11-2003 02:13									#20
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Yay. Using the ee/oo method, I think I have it, and it sorta rhymes. Thanks, kitschum et al!

	22-11-2003 02:21									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Locutus Hey, Andy, it's Wouter I don't think I used it much at the Meet, since I feared most of the people there couldn't remember, or even pronounce it

quote: like Walter?

Try Wowter ( the second W is semi silent, IE don't overdo that one.)

Then again, chances are it's completely different in dutch then it is in Flemish

	22-11-2003 02:31									#22
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Or just use the same ou as in mouse, house, couch, etc

Yes, it's the same in Flamish, though the Flemish seem to insist on spelling it as 'Wauter'

	22-11-2003 03:21									#23
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We do? Hmm, well not much difference in pronouciation, is there

Should see or better hear what people do to mine
* shudders *