How do you say this?

[tlisley]

How is "boucle" pronounced? I hate not knowing how to say a word! Thanks!

[andip470]

I'm pretty sure that it is pronounced boo-clay, with an emphasis on clay. If not, I've been saying it wrong & would love to know the correct pronounciation.

[irikel]

I'm with you andi...!

[tlisley]

Thanks! I had seen it spelled with the accent over the "e" and wondered. I'd just hate to say "boo-clay" and have someone say "WHAT??" lol. Or say "buckle" and have the same reaction...

Oh the insecurities...

[viggie]

There are some words I just refuse to say "correctly" because they sound stupid to me. Like chenille (I says shen-nell instead of sha-neel) If that's the correct pronounciation of this one, then it's one of them! I've never heard anyone say it that way. I say "bookle"...just like it looks. I like to think of it as "americanizing" words...hehe.

[Yarn Duck]

I pronounce it "Boo-Cull". Now I know that's not the "correct" way, but I'm just to old to change.

(I think that Andi is correct.)

[Chrome Kitty]

This was discussed before, and it is indeed boo-KLAY, but like some others, I feel stupid saying it that way and instead say BOO-kul. If I say it the right way, I feel like I'm pretending to be French:lol. To hear it pronounced, click here then click on the red speaker icon.

[Aggie May]

I'm with the lady on the audio in the link posted by Chrome Kitty.

Boo clay.

It is OK to sound French with this word because it is French.

My daughter and her family are living in a little French Village and their e-mails are peppered with French words which I often have to ask them to translate.

It is funny with language, where a lot of word we use and take for granted as being English words, actually turn out to be borrowed from other languages.

It is the spelling of some words that I find a bit different, especially when in the US, you have simplified a lot of words such as colour, flavour, favourite ad of course lots of others.

In NZ, we have not done that but with kids sending so many text messages, I fear that the whole English Language is about to go right into the rubbish bin. (Trash Can)

Have fun.

Colleen.

[CrochetCatskills]

Thank you Chrome Kitty for that link.

I saved it for future use, it will be very handy.

_____

cindy

[Hounddog]

I looked up mauve on that dictionary and found out I have been saying it correct like mov with a long o. A friend made fun of me for ssaying it this way but a teacher said it was correct. Also couscous is another one she said I was wrong on. But the cooks on TV say it all the time the correct way too.

You just can't argue with people when they think they are right LOL.

[nightowl]

Boo clay.

It is OK to sound French with this word because it is French.

Exactly! I don't understand why anyone should feel stupid, or think they sound stupid, for pronouncing a word correctly. Deliberately mis-pronouncing it seems peculiar. . . but maybe that's just me. I was a sub-editor for 25 years and language is one of my "things"

 

If anyone talked to me about "boo-kull" I'd have no idea what they meant, and to me "buckle" means a fastener

 

"Crochet" is a French word (and the American pronunciation is the true French one -- you say "cro-SHAY", whereas in the UK it's become "CRO-shay").

 

Hounddog, my mind is boggling: what other way is there to say "mauve"?

[tlisley]

My family is weird about words. I think we are self conscious that we will sound stupid! LOL!

[Amy]

Well, in my parts of the south (AL and TN), most people say mauve with the "au" sounding like the "aw" in awful.

 

I know the correct pronunciation, but you can get some really strange looks when you say it properly! So if I have to say that word at all, my pronunciation really depends on the group of people I'm with at the time.

[shella85222]

I like that link. It will come in real handy. I had no idea how to say that word.

This was discussed before, and it is indeed boo-KLAY, but like some others, I feel stupid saying it that way and instead say BOO-kul. If I say it the right way, I feel like I'm pretending to be French:lol. To hear it pronounced, click here then click on the red speaker icon.

[wildthing1058]

The way Andi's been saying it is how I say it.

Deborah

[eyenowhour]

I say boo-clay as well, however people are usually making fun of my pronunciation of something. Lately I can't say "iron". No idea why. I used to be able to pronounce the word.

[aliciasjoy]

Crochet" is a French word (and the American pronunciation is the true French one -- you say "cro-SHAY", whereas in the UK it's become "CRO-shay

 

That's true, you wouldn't say cro-SHET, just because you felt dumb trying to correctly pronounce a word. I live in Texas, and sometimes I get angry at all the lazy Americanized, purposely mispronounced Spanish words I hear.

I would definitely rather hear someone try to be correct and maybe not be spot on, than have someone completely butcher a word. And I'm southern, so I know my "boo-clay" comes out somewhat ridiculous.

[nightowl]

Well, in my parts of the south (AL and TN), most people say mauve with the "au" sounding like the "aw" in awful.

 

I know the correct pronunciation, but you can get some really strange looks when you say it properly! So if I have to say that word at all, my pronunciation really depends on the group of people I'm with at the time.

Thanks for that, Amy. I used to have a friend from Georgia, but I suppose we must never have mentioned mauve . Thinking about it, people in the Newcastle area of England with what's called a Geordie accent would probably say "mawve" too.

 

I do think, though, that some of what people have said here is a bit more than differences in local pronunciations. Is it perhaps that they're afraid they'll sound affected? As if they're putting on a posh voice? I hope I didn't sound too snippy in my earlier post; I'm just puzzled and I really want to understand. . .

 

Oh, and Aliciasjoy, I don't think you'd sound ridiculous at all. To my foreign ears a Southern accent is full of music and very attractive

[Ladycrochat]

Yes, Aggie May is right it IS indeed a French word.....It is pronounced Boo-Clay.....meaning "curly".....The accent is on the first syllable.....I live in Morocco where the secondary language is French. Being here for more than 22 years has meant that I have picked up a lot of French and Arabic words! And , Yes, It is true that a lot of words like colour, flavour, favourite etc have been "simplified" by removing the u in the English spelling but, I teach English here and we teach the American form of English.....this is the English that is taught internationally now....many British people do feel that this is unfair.....and I am sorry for that, but honestly when you look at the amount of people in America and Canada who now spell these words color, flavor and favorite.....well this is becoming the acceptable way to spell them now. Many words have changed over the years with time...Look at Thee and Thou from Shakespeare's time....language is a living, evolving, growing thing! Sorry did not mean to get carried away.....but like Nightowl.... words are my thing too!

[viggie]

This has been bothering me...lol. I did some poking around and found that "bookle" is the pronounciation given and "boo-klay" is the alternate according to Webster, so I really don't think it matters how you say it...they are both right.

[nightowl]

I did some poking around and found that "bookle" is the pronounciation given and "boo-klay" is the alternate according to Webster, so I really don't think it matters how you say it...they are both right.

Um, I didn't read it that way, Lynn.

 

The main entry is the French bouclé (with the acute accent over the e, pronounced bou-clé); the variant spelling is boucle without the accent. The pronunciation guide given for the Anglicised spelling is bü-'klA (boo-klay) like the French, and the sound file is the same for both.

 

But you're right, it doesn't matter how you say it as long as the person you're talking to knows what you mean!

[craftconnie1]

Personally I call it bumpy yarn because so many people laughed at the way I pronounced the word.

[Lunatic84]

d I am sorry for that, but honestly when you look at the amount of people in America and Canada who now spell these words color, flavor and favorite.....well this is becoming the acceptable way to spell them now.

 

I know in most schools in my province (New Brunswick, Canada), your work would be corrected if you spelled colour, flavour and favourite without the u. We were taught the correct spelling (with the u) in school and I think it looks funny anyother way.

I feel really silly with my pronouncation of boucle...boo-sil. My boyfriend's mom barely speaks english and she showed me something that she wanted me to make her with it, and ever since then, thats how I pronounce it.