Pronunciation help?

[stevebop]

Can someone give me a correct pronounciation for Brazilian pianist Helio Alves?

I assume the "H" is silent in his first name?
Is it Alvs (as in "valves) or All-vess?

Thanks

Steve Schwartz
Jazz from Studio Four
Fridays, 7p-12a
WGBH, 89.7fm, Boston
www.wgbh.org

[bluenoter]

Meantime, only a churl would point out that "pronounciation" is spelled and pronounced "pronunciation." But I'm a churl of a girl.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

It's pronounced Ahl-vez.........

[Pete C]

I don't think so. I think it's either ahlvsh or ahl-veesh. I'm pretty sure the s at the end is a soft "sh" sound in Brazilian Portuguese, but I don't know whether it's one or two syllables. If it's 1, the e is silent, & if it's 2, then the e is a long e. I think for the e to have a short eh sound it needs an accent grave. Also, the o at the end of Helio is pronounced like a u, so it's either Ay-liu or Ee-liu or Eh-liu.

We need Alvaro or JDR in cases like these.

[mke]

The more incomprehensibly removed from its spelling you pronounce it, the more Brazilian it will sound.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Okay, I guess I'll have to tell my co-workers Jose and Miquel that they pronounce their last name wrong.

I stand by my answer. It's pronounced the same way as Paul Gonsalves, which is? Thank you...........

[Jimmy Cantiello]

I just conducted a survey of eleven Hispanic co-workers. I held up a piece of paper with the word ALVES printed on it without saying a word. Each and every one of them pronounced it as I did in my first post. So there...............

[Peterdubya]

I think it's pronounced Grachan Moncour III
or Kai Winding

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Cantiello

I just conducted a survey of eleven Hispanic co-workers. I held up a piece of paper with the word ALVES printed on it without saying a word. Each and every one of them pronounced it as I did in my first post. So there...............

Jimmy, that's how Spanish-speakers would pronounce it (and this is a fairly common last name). Most spanish words are pronounced just like they're spelled. But portuguese, and moreso brasileiro, is pronounced very differently from Spanish. My understanding is that pre-Castillian spanish is much more similar to portuguese.

[Pete C]

Indeed. The other complication is that "L" is sometimes pronounced like "W"--Silva in Brazilian Portuguese is something like Seew-va, and Brasil is Bra-zeew.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

What the hell do the Portuguese know anyway? They can't even make a decent roll..............

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Cantiello

What the hell do the Portuguese know anyway? They can't even make a decent roll..............

Good sausage, though.

[vibes]

Originally Posted by Pete C

ahl-veesh.

Ay-liu or Eh-liu.

Pete is correct. Since we're in America, I don't see that getting technical makes that big of a difference, if we're pronouncing the guy's name on the radio. "Ay-lio Ahl-vees" is probably good enough for most people.

[vibes]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Indeed. The other complication is that "L" is sometimes pronounced like "W"--Silva in Brazilian Portuguese is something like Seew-va, and Brasil is Bra-zeew.

This is more true for words that end in "il" than for "il" in the middle of words.

[Peterdubya]

I think it would be EE-Lee-O Al-ves (with the v being somewhat soft)

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Yeah, so are those Portuguese rolls, but I agree with Sergio about their sausage............

[Lois Gilbert]

Peterdubya is correct

He's a long time friend

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Lois Gilbert

Peterdubya is correct

He's a long time friend

In that case, the way a guy chooses to say his own name trumps all other rules.

[Mike Schwartz]

We've playing his new release at KSJS, and had been pronouncing it as Peter suggested and Lois confirmed, thinking that I may have been messing the guys name up after seeing this thread...better lucky than good sometimes;-)

[stevebop]

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

Sorry about the typo on pornunciation!

Steve

[pollo loco]

It's absolutely o.k.
pl

[stevebop]

How does one pronounce

PHILIP CATHERINE

I always thought Phil-LEAP Cath-REEN was correct but now I'm not so sure

Thanks!

Steve Schwartz
Jazz from Studio Four
Friday, 8p-midnight
WGBH, 89.7FM, Boston
www.wgbh.org/jazz

[Ron Thorne]

Steve, I've thought the correct pronunciation is:

Phil-LEEP Cat-REEN (with no "h" sound)

I'm sure you'll receive the proper pronunciation from one of our European posters, if correction is needed.

Mwanji?

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Some people say fee-LEEP KATH-er-rin, because they say he's half-British?

[stevebop]

I know he's all British, born in London, but his family moved to Belgium when he was young

Thanks so far

Steve

PS His 63rd birthday is on October 28. i want to play a set on the air but don't want to sound like a jerk!

[Sand]

mke

[GoodSpeak]

If you buy his CDs or attend his concerts, I figure he doesn't care how you pronounce the name.

[Mike Schwartz]

Originally Posted by stevebop

How does one pronounce

PHILIP CATHERINE

I always thought Phil-LEAP Cath-REEN was correct but now I'm not so sure

Thanks!

Steve Schwartz
Jazz from Studio Four
Friday, 8p-midnight
WGBH, 89.7FM, Boston
www.wgbh.org/jazz

What have you BEEN calling him for the past 35 years?

One radio-head Schwartz busting another's chops;-)

Looking forward to seeing you in January!

[Tom Marcello]

Ron Thorne has the correct pronunciation, I believe.

Phil-LEEP Cat-REEN (with no "h" sound)

I have a old Jazz Alive tape with Billy Taylor using that pronunciation.

[Ron Thorne]

I understand Stevebop's concern for getting this right. It was always an important issue for me when I was on-the-air, too.

If my memory serves me correctly, I got the pronunciation for Philip from some "live" performance I heard in the 70's. I was always on the hunt for correct spellings and pronunciations, anal-retentive that I am.

Happy Birthday, Philip!