Pronunciation

[klingon warrior]

I recently visited the Clan Farquharsen America website. There's a history section where they explain that the un-anglicized version of Farquharsen is MacFearcher and there's a sound byte that gives you the correct pronounciation. I think.........that's the only possible way to explain this, especially with as international a group as x-marks.

[Jock Scot]

Rex, I am trying to learn, not very successfully, how to work my new camera and I really cannot cope with yet another chart. However helpful it may be!

[dfmacliam]

Ok I feel like I am in the opticians office and I need my prescription changed LOL.. Due to Rex's chart

[beloitpiper]

Do Americans have difficulty pronouncing the "ch" in loch? I know it causes no end of difficulty for English people who insist on pronouncing it as "ck" as in lock. Think of Johann Sebastian Bach - you know the composer - they always seem to get that right. Lochaber is pronounced Loch - abbur where the "abber" bit sounds a bit like the Swedish group Abba only the bba bit is more like burr.

Ah yes, the Gaelic "ch". Not has throaty as German, but not as sharp as English. I speak a little German from my grandparents, so when I began to learn Gaelic, all I had to do was tone it down a bit and I was fine.

I think most Americans say "Lock", but on the other hand, I think most Scottish-Americans know to say "Loch".

[Phil]

I think most Americans say "Lock", but on the other hand, I think most Scottish-Americans know to say "Loch".

Not just Americans but also our esteemed Scotsman, Jock Scot -

As a resident of the area we pronounce Lochaber as: Lok-aa-ber. The aa like "baa baa black sheep".

My closest friend, born and brought up in Corpach, would have difficulty with that just as he does with "Lock Locky", "Lock Oik" "Inverlocky" and other such malapropisms redolent of an upbringing south of the border.

[Jock Scot]

Not just Americans but also our esteemed Scotsman, Jock Scot -



My closest friend, born and brought up in Corpach, would have difficulty with that just as he does with "Lock Locky", "Lock Oik" "Inverlocky" and other such malapropisms redolent of an upbringing south of the border.

I can only try to describe,not very well it seems, how I have heard it for the best part of 70 years. Funnily enough and unusually, Lochaber is pronounced LOK as opposed to the more usual Scots way of pronouncing loch.

[skauwt]

None of those! Lochaber is a district(like a small county) in West Inverness-shire centering on Fort William(ish).No doubt if you google Lochaber it will tell you the history.Basically the area name probably pre-dates the county name by many centuries.

ahh right the west highlands cheers jock or should that be aaaa right

[Phil]

Try here for a pronunciation you can listen to. - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lochaber%20ax

[Macman]

Try here for a pronunciation you can listen to. - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lochaber%20ax

Thanks, Phil, but that's not how it sounds to me when Kenneth MacKellar sings it in "The Road to the Isles". I'll have to go home and listen to my CD again!

[Phil]

Sorry but that was the best I could find. Maybe Andy Stewart would sound better. I haven't heard Kenneth McKellar since he came to our church gala day about 30 years ago!