How do you say Wroclaw?

ExchangeMe:

Hi! I'm going to Wroclaw next year on exchange, and I can't figure out how to pronounce it. I've looked on the internet, but I've been told two different things. One website said it was pronounce "Vroh-slav" and another said it was "vrott-suave". Which one is correct? Or are either of them?

ExchangeMeThreads: 2 Posts: 4 Joined: Feb 7, 08	May 7, 08, 15:40 / #
Hi! I'm going to Wroclaw next year on exchange, and I can't figure out how to pronounce it. I've looked on the internet, but I've been told two different things. One website said it was pronounce "Vroh-slav" and another said it was "vrott-suave". Which one is correct? Or are either of them?

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 7, 08, 15:43 / #
The second one is pretty accurate. A little more O, like vrott-swov but the one above is ok

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 7, 08, 15:46 / #
just to uphold the fine polish tradition of 3 different people 3 different opinions im going to say vrotswav for the shear hell of it

miranda	May 7, 08, 15:50 / #
ivosoftware.com try this website

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	Edited by: Seanus May 7, 08, 15:50 / #
The Billy Shears hell of it or the sheer hell of it? OK, vrotswov then

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 7, 08, 15:55 / #
:-P what are you saying the last vowel sound is?

LondonChickThreads: 43 Posts: 1,261 Joined: Nov 19, 07	May 7, 08, 16:02 / #
miranda: http://www.ivosoftware.com/ try this website Wow... how cool is that?? hours of fun :)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 7, 08, 16:02 / #
vrot-swov, we Wrocławiu would be like vrot-swav-eU, see the change?

osiolThreads: 59 Posts: 4,714 Joined: Jul 25, 07	Edited by: osiol May 7, 08, 16:32 / #
BubbaWoo: what are you saying the last vowel sound is? It depends on what kind of English you speak. An American 'o' is typically more like an English long 'a' (like in the word 'car').. The American short 'a' (like in the word 'hat') is quite close to the English English short 'a', although tending slightly towards the English English short 'e'. The Polish 'a' is roughly mid-way between both the English English and American English long and short 'a' sounds. The accent in Potlatch, somewhere in the US - I really don't know, but that would be more relevent to the questioner here. I imagine if you tell an American that the 'a' in 'Wrocław' is like an English 'a', they might interpret that as something that sounds more like a Polish 'e'. Have I confused matters enough yet, or shall I go on?

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 7, 08, 16:41 / #
no. Seanus's 'o' confused me more

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 8, 08, 06:17 / #
Yeah, show some people just how differently we use English. Britain, for such a small country, has HUGE variation in how we accent words. We should ask Poles how we pronounce certain words, e.g doubt. All my students say DowPt. Receipt is another etc etc. It'd be an educational thread and would keep the Admin on ur side. Luke made a case against u so let's up ur standing by doing this

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 06:20 / #
Seanus: Luke made a case against u did he? genuine suprise does anyone take the blindest bit of notice to anything he says?

vlkThreads: - Posts: 22 Joined: May 14, 08	May 14, 08, 04:32 / #
Vrotswaf

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 7, 08, 16:43 / #
Easily confused I c, LOL. Don't worry, I'll teach u vowel sounds if u like

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 7, 08, 16:45 / #
im quite capable of reading phonetics if that would help

Bratwurst BoyThreads: 11 Posts: 14,563 Joined: Apr 2, 07	Edited by: Bratwurst Boy May 7, 08, 17:27 / #
ExchangeMe: Hi! I'm going to Wroclaw next year on exchange, and I can't figure out how to pronounce it. I've looked on the internet, but I've been told two different things. One website said it was pronounce "Vroh-slav" and another said it was "vrott-suave". Which one is correct? Or are either of them? It's "Wrotzwaw" (but Breslau sounds much nicer) :)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 7, 08, 17:40 / #
Wrotzwaw, is this Hebrew?

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 01:51 / #
Seanus: vrott-swov Seanus: vrot-swov Seanus: vrot-swav-eU please explain the change on the second vowel S, i havent noticed this before

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 8, 08, 05:56 / #
I was wrong, there is more of an A in Wrocław. Maybe I lazily and errantly pronounce it with an O. vrot-swov just sounds easier.

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 05:58 / #
thank you for clearing that up S... although i was looking forward to a lesson in vowel sounds ;-)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 8, 08, 06:02 / #
I am Scottish, we have clear vowel sounds so the offer still stands ;)

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 06:12 / #
im a sahf lunduna so my vowel pronunciations are impacable... perhaps we should open a consultancy...

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 8, 08, 06:31 / #
The blindest bit, yes, coz nobody sees it :)

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 06:33 / #
good old luke and his behind-the-scene b!itching

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07	May 8, 08, 06:34 / #
The attention who*e!

BubbaWooThreads: 46 Posts: 4,438 Joined: Sep 26, 06	May 8, 08, 06:34 / #
thats the one!