[78-L] Melchior's first name

[Matthew Duncan]

I am no expert but here's my view...

Low-ritz Melk-Yorr (using your cow fits example) is how I would pronounce that name just by reading it.  I base pronunciation on where the person is from (if I know)...and that's how I could imagine it being in Danish...Perhaps he didn't correct people because he wasn't really bothered??  Or as you say he assumed the Americanised version...

Another example of my formula...

Someone from Canada named David I would pronounce Day-vid....unless corrected....someone from Russia called David would be Dav-eed .... unless corrected.

I sort of know what I mean anyway...!

Matthew in Bly-tee

--- On Tue, 16/10/12, David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca> wrote:

From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
Subject: [78-L] Melchior's first name
To: "78L" <78-L at 78online.com>
Date: Tuesday, 16 October, 2012, 21:49

So, experts, is Lauritz Melchior's first name LOR-ITZ or LOW-RITZ? I've just 
heard a program with Melchior and Frank Sinatra bantering back and forth, with 
a studio announcer at the beginning, and everyone says LOR-ITZ which is 
probably how most of us thought it was for decades, in the grand old American 
melting pot tradition. But a few years ago I heard that it should be pronounced 
LOW-RITZ (rhymes with cow fits). I presume that if Mr. Melchior didn't want his 
name mispronounced, there was ample opportunity to suggest a correction. The 
show doesn't sound like a double-ender (different studios, piece it all 
together later). Anyone have the answer?

dl

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