They usually pronounce it as if it were spelt "coup de gras." ("coo duh grah," I mean, in case there's some question.) What does that mean? "Blow of fat?"
I can understand the belief that, in French, one pronounces none of the letters that are there. It's often true. But it's never, ever true when those letters are followed by an "e."
I think it would be better if people just gave up on the Frenchness and started saying "coop duh grayce," as they do with Havre de Grace in Maryland. That, at least, is evidence of a total and respectable contempt for all things foreign.
Come on, people, it's just French. The pronunciation rules are less phonetic but far more consistent than English. Get it together. Or stop pretending.
PS I'm considering a "France" tag. Thoughts?
11 comments:
wouldn't that be better as a "Freedom" tag?
I guess people get it confused with coup d'etat
I live relatively close to Havre de Grace, and when I first moved here, I pronounced it properly. People looked at me like I was the crazy one.
Well, how do you pronounce it then?
While you're telling the world how to pronouce coup de grace, you should learn how to spell "spelled". Spelt is an ancient grain, like wheat. Spelled is the past tense of spell.......
ha ha that last comment made me smile!
Maybe you should tag it 'I'm a pretentious, snobbish prat and I make myself feel better by looking down on other people's minor linguistic faux pas'
that's a silent 's' in faux pas, by the way :)
Both spelled and spelt are both correct. Take a peek at a dictionary before spouting off.
Beats me...likely the same reason people put the question mark on the wrong side of the quotation mark.
I'd seen it written several times and in my head I always pronounced it, "coop de grace." I'm pretty disappointed with the real pronunciation.
Actually in French its pronounced cud gra.... as in 2 syllables, not 3 syllables. So, get over yourself.
Yes, 2 syllables but more like "cud graS" with the s sound. : )
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