Prononciasione

[skdadl]

How do you pronounce Verner, as in Josée Verner? Is it ver-neh or ver-ner (comme la mer), and how do you know which is which with names ending in -er?

[skdadl]

Nobody here speaks le French?

[deBeauxOs]

Verner is a family name, possibly of Germanic origin? I speak French, but I have no idea what pronunciation rules are for proper names borrowed from other languages.  Radio Canada usually ensures that its news readers correctly pronounce the proper names of those featured in stories.

[lagatta]

I've always heard her name pronounced "VerNÈRE" - indeed I believe it is Germanic - possibly Swiss?

Also in France, I have friends named Widmer - that is definitely German-Swiss, and in France it is also "Vidmère". But in French one puts the tonic accent on the FINAL sylabble, unlike in German.

[skdadl]

I learned years ago that I had been pronouncing Antonio Lamer's name wrong -- again, he is like "la mer," not the "la-meh" that I had been doing. This is very confusing to an anglophone. I see -er and I say eh, eh?

[steffie]

There's a small town east of Sudbury called Verner,  [VER-ner] , and it's a largely french-speaking community.