How do you pronounce 'Lili'?

[Solaris]

Isn't it Lolly? thats what i heard in the Chat Room! So it must be true! We love you Lolly!

[fsquared]

Originally Posted by RMJ

So ?

I don't speak French either. And still it's pronounced Lili.

After your first post I thought maybe you were being sarcastic and difficult. After your second post with the phonetic description, I thought that maybe possibly you being sincere in saying it's like a Finnish speaker would pronounce "Lili", but possibly neglecting the fact that "i" in the first position in American English is often a so-called short "i" which is rather different from the French "i", and furthermore that Finnish uses "ee" as a lengthened Finnish "e", rather than as an English long "e" sound which sounds a lot like the French (and presumably Finnish "i"), and also that the Finnish "y" is something else entirely from what the "y" in "Lily" would sound like in English.

Your last post, however, is leaning back in the direction that you're just being difficult.

[RMJ]

Originally Posted by fsquared

After your first post I thought maybe you were being sarcastic and difficult. After your second post with the phonetic description, I thought that maybe possibly you being sincere, but possibly neglecting the fact that "i" in this position in American English is often a so-called short "i" which is rather different from the French "i", and furthermore that Finnish uses "ee" as a lengthened Finnish "e", rather than as an English long "e" sound which sounds a lot like the French (and presumably Finnish "i"), and also that the Finnish "y" is something else entirely from what the "y" in "Lily" would sound like in English.

Your last post, however, is leaning back in the direction that you're just being difficult.

And we have a winner !

In deed... "a lot like"... so why not do it proper and pronounce it Lili like French does it ?

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by RMJ

And we have a winner !

In deed... "a lot like"... so why not do it proper and pronounce it Lili like French does it ?

I prefer Lolly. so i will stick with that.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by RMJ

And we have a winner !

In deed... "a lot like"... so why not do it proper and pronounce it Lili like French does it ?

This is a predominantly American forum. The purpose of this thread is to figure out how to pronounce it, and posts are mostly by native English speakers, a language in which Lili is phonetically different than it is in French. Many native English speakers don't know how to pronounce French.

Saying "Lili" is in no way helpful.

[RMJ]

Originally Posted by Solaris

I prefer Lolly. so i will stick with that.

I prefer The-girl-who-sings-ACC-and-can't-get-out-of-my-head.


Just imagine in concert yelling her name !

The-girl-who-sings-ACC-and-can't-get-out-of-my-head !
The-girl-who-sings-ACC-and-can't-get-out-of-my-head !
The-girl-who-sings-ACC-and-can't-get-out-of-my-head !
je t'aime beaucoup, The-girl-who-sings-ACC-and-can't-get-out-of-my-head !!

[RMJ]

Originally Posted by Fish

This is a predominantly American forum.

Actually, last time when it was counted, the majority wasn't from america.

Tho I don't see how that's relevant with this.

Originally Posted by Fish

Many native English speakers don't know how to pronounce French.

They don't need to know anything about French. They don't need to even know it exists. Since there's universal international pronouncing rules. Lili is pronounced [li.li]

Originally Posted by Fish

Saying "Lili" is in no way helpful.

Helps a lot me, that's why I keep repeating her name.

[rcs]

Booooy, we better get this name thing right. Alizee is gonna open up a can of Bruce Lee whoop ass if we don't.

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by RMJ

Actually, last time when it was counted, the majority wasn't from america.

Tho I don't see how that's relevant with this.


They don't need to know anything about French. They don't need to even know it exists. Since there's universal international pronouncing rules. Lili is pronounced [li.li]


Helps a lot me, that's why I keep repeating her name.

So what im getting at is her name is Lolly? I'm confused

[fsquared]

Originally Posted by Fish

This is a predominantly American forum. The purpose of this thread is to figure out how to pronounce it, and posts are mostly by native English speakers, a language in which Lili is phonetically different than it is in French. Many native English speakers don't know how to pronounce French.

Saying "Lili" is in no way helpful.

RMJ is far too intelligent and detail-oriented to be arguing with anyone else out of ignorance on this point; his obstinacy is most likely deliberate. Obviously the "Lee-Lee" explanations are intended for those English speakers who are not familiar with the International Phonetic Alphabet (not everyone on this forum is multi-lingual or trained in IPA), and the "ee" is the most unambiguous orthographic representation of the vowel in question for English speakers with no IPA training. While I am ordinarily not a fan of such transcriptions in, say, phrasebooks, I know that there are circumstances under which they can be helpful.