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Hermes! How do you pronounce it

(152 Posts)
Audi10 Sat 27-Nov-21 15:55:31

Please settle a disagreement ? three in my family insist it’s Hermies, while I think it’s actually pronounced how it’s spelt! I could always ask the driver I suppose! It’s like Matalan a couple in my extended family insist it’s mataland ??

AlisonKF Tue 30-Nov-21 11:19:31

I recall the scorn of my teenage son when I referred to Nike ( pronounced NYKAY (in Greek fashion) shoes. EVERYONE knows its NIKE (as in mike.) I think he was about fourteen. Now fifty six.

Coco51 Tue 30-Nov-21 09:37:43

Well my son (having had a lot of trouble with them) calls them ’Herpes’. But yes I think your families’ pronounciation is correct.

MayBeMaw Mon 29-Nov-21 20:50:44

On the subject of pronunciation, I have never understood why there is a a university of Reading, but not one of Writing or indeed Rithmetic

Ukcarolm Mon 29-Nov-21 19:16:51

i pronounce it 'pain in the neck!' as they rarely deliver on time. lol

Elvis58 Mon 29-Nov-21 17:25:55

Hermees! Here.

Petera Mon 29-Nov-21 15:48:24

Audi10

Please settle a disagreement ? three in my family insist it’s Hermies, while I think it’s actually pronounced how it’s spelt! I could always ask the driver I suppose! It’s like Matalan a couple in my extended family insist it’s mataland ??

I pronounce it 'those bloody incompetent couriers'

Iwtwab12bow Mon 29-Nov-21 15:43:30

Her-meez,messenger of the Gods. Greek

Calistemon Mon 29-Nov-21 15:40:33

Diana was, of course, Roman.

Calistemon Mon 29-Nov-21 15:39:21

Neilspurgeon0

Pen-el-o-pee if you are an officer (another famous ship) but unquestionable Penny-lope if you were, like me, on the lower deck.

And to round it off. Her-me-#1 (her-my-on-eee for the wardroom) gal-a-tea-ah (the Black Pig) cHar-ib-dis (Cherry Bee) - but everyone said Le-an-der). There was a whole class of frigates in the sixties and seventies named after Greek Gods

eg Diana - I think we all know how to pronounce her!

Ariadne, Aphrodite, Hebe, Hecate ........ Zephyr

grannybuy Mon 29-Nov-21 15:29:12

Other posters have probably checked as well. I did, and the French pronunciation is ‘ Ermez ‘.

grannybuy Mon 29-Nov-21 15:21:03

Hermaze

Neilspurgeon0 Mon 29-Nov-21 15:12:12

For calistemon “Billy RUFfian” if you were serving on her

Neilspurgeon0 Mon 29-Nov-21 15:07:51

Pen-el-o-pee if you are an officer (another famous ship) but unquestionable Penny-lope if you were, like me, on the lower deck.

And to round it off. Her-me-#1 (her-my-on-eee for the wardroom) gal-a-tea-ah (the Black Pig) cHar-ib-dis (Cherry Bee) - but everyone said Le-an-der). There was a whole class of frigates in the sixties and seventies named after Greek Gods

Calistemon Mon 29-Nov-21 15:04:18

I'm now practising saying beever and beaver and wondering what the difference is.

but that’s the English language for you!

How do you pronounce that word that is also the name of the ship?

I pronounce it Bell-e-rah-fon

second 'e' as a short e, as in pen

That may not be correct.

Neilspurgeon0 Mon 29-Nov-21 14:57:21

Her-Meeze same as the aircraft carrier of blessed memory

HannahLoisLuke Mon 29-Nov-21 14:46:05

Nannan2

Why would Belvoir be pronounced Beaver?????

It’s actually Beever, and no, I don’t know either, but that’s the English language for you.

HannahLoisLuke Mon 29-Nov-21 14:41:56

MayBeMaw

^Just before I was about to pay I saw some red wine on offer behind the counter so I asked him if I could have two bottles of the “Merlow”^
He responded with “ actually it’s Merlot with a T
A bit like this?
Margot Asquith on meeting screen siren Jean Harlow
“[Jean Harlow] 'Say - aren't you Margott Asquith?' (pronouncing the hard 't')
[Margot Asquith] 'Yes Dear, But the “t” is silent as in Harlow” '

???
Love this thread. Very funny but informative too. How do you pronounce that word that is also the name of the ship?
Can’t find the post at the moment.

MickyD Mon 29-Nov-21 14:25:18

Oh! I’ve always pronounced it completely wrong then…Hermay. I like the sound of it though so I think I’ll keep it. smile

Kali2 Mon 29-Nov-21 14:24:38

a bit like

hair mess

HannahLoisLuke Mon 29-Nov-21 14:17:39

Hermeez, same as the Greek god.

Nagmad2016 Mon 29-Nov-21 14:07:07

If it's the courier company I would pronounce it Hermeeze.
If you are talking about the French fashion house, I would say Ermez.....or is it just me?

GoldenAge Mon 29-Nov-21 13:41:37

Interesting - the French pronounce it Hermez - yes the accent is there, but in reality Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is pronounced Her-meez, and from this we get hermeneutic - her-men-oo-tik - which is all about interpreting the message. Lesson over.

Libman Mon 29-Nov-21 13:34:02

Hermaze

MissAdventure Mon 29-Nov-21 13:32:33

I only ever talk about the delivery company, so that's one less thing to worry about.

greenlady102 Mon 29-Nov-21 13:30:51

MayBeMaw

Blossoming

It depends wether I’m talking about the Greek god, the French fashion company or the parcel delivery company.

Exactly! Although for me the Greek god is also my courier
Hermes-Her-mees

Hermès- “Air-mes “”

This deffo