Pronounciation

[nerdycool]

That's a good question, and one I've asked myself many times ever since I watched "Russia: Land of the Tsars" on the History channel a while back, where they pronounced it ro-MAH-nov. I tend to want to pronounce it RO-manov, but the other way kind of just rolls off the tongue, so I might change the way I pronounce it. I'll be curious to see how it is in Russia.

[Sarushka]

According to the handy guide in the back of THE LAST DIARY OF TSARITSA ALEXANDRA, in Russian, the stress falls in the middle of the word:
roMANov

If there's any other name you're curious about, I'm happy to look it up -- they've got answers for anybody Alix mentioned in her diary beginning in January 1918.

FYI: the cook's name is pronounced khariTONov.

[Elizabeth]

Well, then, I've pronounced it WRONG for the past 30+ years (and here I thought my Russian history professor was pronouncing it that way  - the right way! - because he was from the New England area).  

Seriously, it took me until I started taking Russian history classes in college that I knew how to pronounce the majority of the names that I had been seeing/reading for years -

Pobedonostev - Poe - bed - oh - no - stev - and Witte - Vit - tah  (the "w" is pronounced as a "V") - were the trickiest.  Also, Stolypin - Stoll - ee - pin.

AND, I didn't realize I was pronouncing Rasputin's name wrong (you would think THAT wouldn't be a hard one).  until I heard Robert Massie pronounce it.  (I was pronouncing it "Ras - pew - tin")

The way I remember it now is to just think of Vladimir Putin (Poo - tin) and put the "Ras" in front of it.

E-

[Tsaritsa]

I've pronounced it wrong for nearly as many years, Elizabeth.  So don't feel bad.

Thank goodness I got Rasputin correct.  

[DanielB]

In many cases, the stress does fall in the middle of the word, but there are a number of exceptions, such as IvaNOV, GorbaCHEV (sounds like GorbaCHOV), PoPOV, YAkovlev, STOrozhev, etc. Another name that is commonly mispronounced is Anastasia’s. Not « A-na-STAY-zhya » (which drives me nuts!) but A-na-sta-SI-a (sound like A-nas-sta-SSY-ah). It takes a while to get used to say « AnasstaSSYah NikoLAevna RoMAnova », or « AlyekSANdra FYOdorovna RoMAnova », but it definitely sounds more Russian!

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

So how would Nickolaevitch be? on the "LA" also? :-/

[Michelle]

I have to say that my ignorance will overcome me here and I think that "Ana-STAY-zha" and "RO-man-ov" sound better to me.

[Lanie]

So how would Nickolaevitch be? on the "LA" also? :-/

Nee-ko-lay-ee-vech I think, for Nikolaevich

[Elizabeth]

Actually, I think it's Nick - oh - lie - oh - vich.  For Nicholas, it would have been Alex - and - row - vich.  

E-

[Forum Admin]

"Neeko (soft on the long e) - lie - uh (very soft) - vich"

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

Thanx!

[DanielB]

Yes, stress for Nikolaevich (or Nikolaevna) is on LA (Ni-ko-LA-ye-vich). I should add that, except on very formal occasions, many masculine patronimics tend to be abbreviated when spoken, with the “ev” (or “ov”) almost muted. Thus NikoLAevich usually sounds more like “NikoLA’yich”. It isn’t the case for the feminine patronimic though (Ni-ko-LA-ye-vna).

[katja]

Hi! I come from Poland ( invite all to us   ) and Polish language is similar to Russian, so it's rather easy for me  to pronounce these words. And I must say, that they sound very tunefully and softly.

[AlexP]

Hi! I come from Poland ( invite all to us   ) and Polish language is similar to Russian, so it's rather easy for me  to pronounce these words. And I must say, that they sound very tunefully and softly.

Dear Katja,

My very Russian grandmother always used to that the Polish language was the language of the Gods because it was so soft and pleasant.

Welcome.

With all of the best from Shanghai,


A.A.

[AlexP]

Hi! I come from Poland ( invite all to us   ) and Polish language is similar to Russian, so it's rather easy for me  to pronounce these words. And I must say, that they sound very tunefully and softly.

Hi! I come from Poland ( invite all to us   ) and Polish language is similar to Russian, so it's rather easy for me  to pronounce these words. And I must say, that they sound very tunefully and softly.

Dear Katja,

My very Russian grandmother always used to that the Polish language was the language of the Gods because it was so soft and pleasant.

Welcome.

With all of the best from Shanghai,


A.A.