HBP movie related question (SPOILERS)

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

Lizzie 
> > > Yes, but when it's pronounced 'Rafe' in the US (not just the South), it's spelled 'Rafe', not 'Ralph'.

Potioncat:
> > Not always. My cousin Rafe--his real name was Ralph but we called him Rafe--spelled his name Ralph.
 
> > I'm not sure if I ever met him, but I grew up hearing about "Rafe-his-real-name-is-Ralph-but-we-called-him-Rafe."

Carol:
> So in that case Rafe would be a nickname, not an alternate pronunciation, right? Otherwise, your family members would say, "His name is Rafe, spelled R-a-l-p-h," which is apparently the case with Ralph Fiennes, who is still "Ralf" in my head because of the spelling. (I suppose I'm as bad in that respect as people for whom Hermione is "Hermoine." *Those* people could benefit from a spell check!)

Geoff:
Don't forget that the UK has various oddly-pronounced names. One that 
springs to mind is the erstwhile leader of the Liberal Democrat party, 
Menzies Campbell which is pronounced "Mingies". It's a Scots name. 
And don't get me going on odd surnames!

Carol:
> BTW, I'm almost certain that I've read somewhere about a "Rafe" (spelled that way) in Richard III's time, but since I don't recall his last name, I can't look him up. (Speaking of spell checks, mine wants me to change "III's'" to "ii i's." What the--?

Geoff:
It's having a bad microchip day.
:-(
 
Carol, who thinks that Rafe and Ralph are both rather odd names and wouldn't have given either to her son if she had one.

Geoff:
Come, come, I've taught a number of Ralphs in my career (all "Ralfs" as it 
happens) and, as a literary expert Carol, you must remember Ralph, the 
hero of Golding's "Lord of the Flies"?

We also have a village near us named Brompton Ralph (standard pronunciation).