Hermione pronunciation (and brief Generation rant)

[Ebony Elizabeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 698

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Rita Winston" <catlady at w...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Joywitch " <joym999 at a...> wrote:
> > I guess you and I, Jim, are a little, er, older than most 
> > of the How to Pronounce Questioners.  (Not that we are old farts
> > or anything like that, though, right?)
> 
> Joywitch! Your Yahoo profile said you were 999 years old!

I noticed that too, Joywitch.  ;)

Actually, if it had not been for the real life Hermione I knew, I 
would have pronounced it correctly at first glance.  Most of those 
female mythological figures have names in which every syllable is 
pronounced and which end with the long e sound:  Antigone, Niobe, 
Persephone, Penelope, Aphrodite, Psyche, etc. all rhyme.  Might I add 
that my own first name is also Greek-derived and follows the same 
pattern.

But upon first introduction, this Hermione was very adamant about her 
name being pronounced Krum fashion.  She would correct you in this 
matter-of-fact voice:  "It's *Hermy-own*, thanks."  Keep in mind that 
at least one boomer named her, so I am guessing they were not 
familiar with the actress you've mentioned.

Since this particular Hermione is *exactly* like what HG would have 
been like if she had been Sorted into Ravenclaw (which is why I 
couldn't stand the character at first), I get a kick thinking about 
the fact that thanks to JKR Miss Perfection's name will forever be 
mispronounced.  Hee, hee, hee.

Speaking of age, I was recently informed that I'm too young to be Gen-
X.  My aunt and uncle, 32 and 35, informed me smugly at our last 
summer barbecue that anyone born after the Bicentennial is definitely 
Gen-Y.  Man, am I ever disappointed that I'm in the same lowly age 
bracket as the HP characters!  <vbg>

Ebony AKA AngieJ