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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Random Fact of the Day:

The Irish name Caitlín has two forms in the US. The original import usually had its spelling changed to reflect pronunciation, and became Kathleen--Caitlín in Ireland is pronounced "kaht-leen" or "koyth-leen". Around 1980 or, U.S. parents began, either purposely or ignorantly, to use the Irish spelling, but not the Irish pronunciation. Thus, the Caitlyn/Kaitlin/Katelyn craze began.
Other names that have been (or are being) imported in mispronounced form include
Tegan (U.S.: "TEE-gan"; trad.: "TEG-an"),
Carys (U.S.: "CAIR-is"; trad.: "CAHR-is"),
Aislinn (U.S.: "ACE-lin" or "ICE-lin"; trad.: "ASH-leen"),
Anneliese (U.S.: "an-nah-LEES"; trad.: "ahn-nah-LEE-zah"),
Gianna (U.S.: "jee-AHN-nah; trad.: "JAHN-nah")
Giovanni (U.S.: "jee-oh-VAH-nee"'; trad: "joh-VAH-nee")
and Dylan (U.S.: "DIL-an"; trad.: "DUL-an").

*This phenomenon is different from regional/linguistic variants that develop over time (ex. Andrea as "AN-dree-ah" or "awn-DRAY-ah"); or simplifications/adaptations for sounds that don't exist in another language (ex. Mary/Maria becoming Malia in Hawaiian).

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