Joy of HP on Audio

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 1914

Hi --

Steve Vander Ark wrote:

> re: Jim Dale's renditions
>
> > bad and overall Jim Dale does a much better dramatic rendition of
> the books.  The one thing the English version has is the correct title
>
> of the book (IMO) and the correct pronunciation of Hermione.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean here. I've listened to the first three
> books on tape and I am half way through GF and I have yet to hear Jim
> Dale mispronounce Hermione's name. I've heard a few other minor
> errors but not that one. Could you clarify?

I can!  Hermione *should* be pronounced Her-My-Uh-Knee (4 syllables).
Jim Dale's pronounciation *sounds* like Har-mon-ie (or Her-ma-knee) to
me.  Someone on another listserve who has *only* listened to the books
on audio & not read them kept spelling her name Harmonie in fact.  So, I
know I'm not the only one who hears it like that.  I understand from
some that Dale is glossing the two middle syllables together with a
schwa sound -- but the end result is that her name sounds wrong to me.
And, what I don't understand is how he can keep repeating that when he
clearly enunciates all 4 syllables & pronounces it properly in the 2-3
places in GoF where Hermione is pronounced for someone else's benefit.

Then again -- supposedly Dale consults with JKR on quite a bit, so maybe
she's approved this pronounciation.

I will second Vicki's recommendation of the audio versions -- definitely
worth it for anyone who spends any amount of time in their car.  I've
listened to nothing but HP in my car in 7 mths.  They've been loaned out
to various friends and played over & over & over . . . .they are great
(although Dale's pronounciation of Hermione AND his voice for her
character really bug me -- she comes off sounding whiny & shrill.  While
that might be appropriate in the beginning of PS, she's changed quite a
bit in the later books).

Penny



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