How do you pronounce the Greek name "Phoebe"?

Discussion in 'Education' started by Lindis, May 13, 2023.

?

How do you pronounce the Greek name "Phoebe"?

  1. Foibe

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. Fo-ebe

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Fibi

    2 vote(s)
    50.0%
  4. Feebee

    3 vote(s)
    75.0%
  5. Foebe (Fööbe)

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. another way

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    How do you pronounce the Greek name "Phoebe"?
     
  2. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Maybe you pronounce it as in the famous TV-film "Charmed"?
     
  3. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I pronounce it this way:

    Foebe (Fööbe)
     
  4. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    What I wonder: Why should the French say: Fibi or Feebee?
    They have got the letter oe in their own alphabet and can pronounce it easily.

    On the other hand the French are famous for not liking the English language - and for pronouncing it in their own way.
    So why should they pronounce "Phoebe" the English way?
     
  5. Chrizton

    Chrizton Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2020
    Messages:
    8,116
    Likes Received:
    4,002
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I have always heard it pronounced like Feebee. Don't think I have heard it pronounced any other way TBH.
     
  6. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male


    Here Phoebe Caulfield appears.
     
  7. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    There is a German journalist by the name of Phoebe Gaa.
    She is pronounced "Foebe = Fööbe".
    I will try to find a link.
     
  8. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male



    Title: Parlamentswahlen in Russland: Schaltgespräch mit ZDF-Korrespondentin Phoebe Gaa

    Here you can hear Phoebe as Fööbe.
     
    Chrizton likes this.
  9. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
  10. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
  11. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Which is the perfectly correct English pronounciation. :)
    The traditional German pronounciation is: Fööbe.

    But because of some TV series many Germans now call any Phoebe so: Feebee.

    For 2 reasons, I think:

    a) they do not know the German pronounciation
    b) they know both pronounciations, but whenever the English pronounciation differs from the German pronounciation, they slavishly take over the English pronounciation, as they think: Only English is correct.
     
  12. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Now 59 views.
     
  13. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male


    How to pronounce "Phoebe" in German
     
  14. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    My answers:

    • Fööbe - with an öö sound as in Goethe or in the French word "voeux" in "meilleurs voeux!"
    • Fööbe - if the girl is from a German-speaking country
    • Feebee or Fibbi if the girl is from an English-speaking country
     
  15. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Fun fact:

    If you tell a "modern" German of today that Phoebe is spoken as "Fööbe" in German, you can expect some disbelief.
    I suspect "modern" Germans get their education from TV-series for teenagers or toddlers - and from no-where else. :)
     
  16. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    now: 70 views :)
     
  17. HonestJoe

    HonestJoe Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    Messages:
    15,157
    Likes Received:
    5,088
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Puh-Ho-Eh-Buh-Eh :cool:

    As an aside, I used to work with a Siobhan (roughly pronounced Sha-vorn) and would routinely answer phone calls asking for her. We always had fun when I passed the calls to her; "I've got a call for you Cybehan." :D
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2023
  18. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I also know a Siobhan - and yes, I know that she was called something like She-vorn. :)
     
  19. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Roughly POIBE then?
     
  20. HonestJoe

    HonestJoe Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    Messages:
    15,157
    Likes Received:
    5,088
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I should probably point out that was a joke. I'd actally say Fee-bee, like most native English speakers I expect.
     
  21. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    This Feebee/Fööbe thing is a very German thing.

    Elsewhere people think: "The way I say this word is probably right."
    In Germany people usually think, if there are two versions: "The way I say this word is probably wrong." :)
     
  22. Lindis

    Lindis Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2021
    Messages:
    3,272
    Likes Received:
    792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I am interested in languages.

    Soon I will have another question. :)
     

Share This Page