Old pronunciation of Methven & Muthill

[Cassmob]

Hi, I'm tracing some McDonald's from Perthshire for a friend and wanted to know if anyone has heard of somewhere called Miffee/Miffer/Miffen. Someone suggested it may have been Methven.

Is anyone able to tell me how Methven & Muthill might have been pronounced by the Scots in the 19th century (or indeed now).

Many thanks from Down Under

Pauleen

[Phil]

Can't help with those place names but Methven is usually pronounced as it is spelt but the 'th' is quite hard, like the 'th' in 'the'. Locals may well pronounce it differently like miffen (see here - http://www.tmethvin.com/methvin/pdf/methvencowners.pdf ), there are lots of similar local pronunciations. In Fife Anstruther is pronounced Ainster by the locals and Kilconquhar, Kinnucker so your advice about Methven is probably correct.. Muthill is pronounced mew-thill (sounds a bit like mucus).

[Cassmob]

Thanks Phil, that is how I'd have pronounced it too, but it's useful to know there may be local variations as you illustrated with other names. Thanks also re Muthill - I'd have tried to avoid it if I could ;-)

[figheadair]

Even locally you'll find different pronunciations which I guess reflects the fact that people have moved into the area and so there is a lot of cross pollination so to speak.

In my family we've always pronounced Methven as Mev-en as in heaven; and Muthill as mew-thill.

It's quite possible that Miffen is a derivation of Mev-en.

[ThistleDown]

I`ve a friend long at Glenalmond and she pronounces Methven as mev-en. She pronounces Muthil as mew-thill. Always look to the locals for current pronunciation and then be prepared for slight variations usually due to their origin and not that of the word.

[Cassmob]

Thanks ThistleDown and figheadair, those comments are helpful. I can see how Meven could become Miffen to a census enumerator who knew no better. Many thanks & Happy Hogmanay.