Ok, I've never asked this before as I didn't want to reveal my limited American knowledge of foreign languages, but now I've gotta know:

How do you pronounce your name? (I've forgotten my elementary school pronounciation terms, so please forgive my phonetic approach. )

Frans:

Is the "a" like "apple", or "augment"?

Is the "s" like "once" or like "Franz"?

Bouma:

Is the "ou" like "Booma", "Boma", or "Bowma"?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Jeff...

jeffreygg wrote:

Ok, I've never asked this before as I didn't want to reveal my limited American knowledge of foreign languages, but now I've gotta know:

How do you pronounce your name? (I've forgotten my elementary school pronounciation terms, so please forgive my phonetic approach. )

Frans:

Is the "a" like "apple", or "augment"?

Is the "s" like "once" or like "Franz"?

Bouma:

Is the "ou" like "Booma", "Boma", or "Bowma"?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Jeff...

Frans would prefer the 'a' like in Philidelphia, 's' like in once. and Bouma more like Bowma.

Well... if you really want to know, then do this: 1. goto http://www.nuance.com/realspeak/demo/default.asp 2. choose realspeak solo 3. choose dutch, netherlands 4. choose netherlands, claire 5. type in: "Frans Bouwma" (notice the extra "w" in "Bouwma") 6. submit (= next) and listen to the voice in WMP.

Kris wrote:

jeffreygg wrote:

Ok, I've never asked this before as I didn't want to reveal my limited American knowledge of foreign languages, but now I've gotta know:

How do you pronounce your name? (I've forgotten my elementary school pronounciation terms, so please forgive my phonetic approach. )

Frans:

Is the "a" like "apple", or "augment"?

Is the "s" like "once" or like "Franz"?

Bouma:

Is the "ou" like "Booma", "Boma", or "Bowma"?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Jeff...

Frans would prefer the 'a' like in Philidelphia, 's' like in once. and Bouma more like Bowma.

heh

I'd say the ou in Bouma is the same as the au in Jack Bauer, only slightly longer.

BlueCell: cool tip! never knew there was a site actually offering that kind of service, cool

Ah. it's as if I've finally met you, Frans.

So, the "r" has a bit of a trill to it? More with a "th" sound than a, well, "r" sound? Heh, is there anyone else in the world that makes their "r"s like Americans do?

Jeff...