QUOTE(JimLucas Posted: Nov 30 2003 @ 08:49 AM)
How to pronounce Lachenal?
David gave one way, but I've heard several others, though most are minor variations. Usually the main accent is on the first syllable, with some people putting a secondary accent on the last syllable, others not. Occasionally, I've heard it pronounced with the main accent on the last syllable. Always the "ch" is pronounced like "sh". So here are the main variations I've heard used by more than one person:
AL - as in AL-len
ALL - as in ALL
ULL - as in nULL
LAH - as in LAH-de-dah
LA - as in LAsh
EH - as E in bEt
U - as U in bUt
' - is an almost imperceptible "vowel"
LAH sh' nall (this is more or less how I say it)
LAH sh' n'l
LA sh' n'l
la sheh NAL
lah sheh NALL
LAH shuh NALL
LAH shuh null
Take your pick.
Of course, if we really wanted to be "correct", we might
..1) Try to find a Lachenal descendant and see how she pronounces it.
..2) Ask Neil Wayne how Tommy Williams (who worked for Lachenal) pronounced it during his interview. (Is there an audio tape?)
..3) See if there are any other (perhaps unrelated) Lachenals alive today and see how they pronounce it.
I have only just seen the previous discussion of this topic, but knowing that Louis Lachenal was French-speaking Swiss, I use the pronunciation "la sheh NAL" when speaking about himself, or the family, which is more in keeping with French pronunciation, as well as the spelling ("La Chenal") and pronunciation used by surviving members of the family in England today. However, when speaking of the firm, the usual pronunciation (including that used by Tommy Williams) seems to have been anglicised, more like "LA sheh null" or "LA sh' n'l".
The question now is does that clarify or confuse matters ?
Cheers,