Pronunciation question: "Higham" in The Well at the World's End

[Extollager]

There are numerous folk here at Chrons who reside in British lands. I'm looking for an answer to this: in that Morris fantasy, a city is called Higham. Now should I hear that as "Hig-em," or as "Hie-em"? Thanks.

 

[Pyan]

Well, given the vagaries of place-name pronunciation in the UK, it could be one, the other, both, depending on where you come from, or neither ("Ha'm" or "H'em")...

Don't mention it - always happy to help!

 

[mosaix]

I would say “Hie-em”.

 

[CupofJoe]

"High-um"

 

[HareBrain]

Try saying them both aloud, and then see which one the locals in the book scoff at.

Near here, Burpham = burfum, Wepham = weppam. They are neighbouring villages.

 

[Ursa major]

or neither ("Ha'm" or "H'em")

...or Hig-ham or Hie-ham....

 

[hitmouse]

what @CupofJoe says. High-um with a soft u. I have an acquaintance with that name.

 

[Mouse]

High-um.

Near here, Burpham = burfum, Wepham = weppam. They are neighbouring villages.

We've got Winsham. Which is pronounced both Wince-um and Win-shum, depending on how old you are.

 

[Extollager]

Thank you, everyone.

Someone I know had dealings with the David Higham firm in connection with quotinmg from the writings of Dorothy L. Sayers (as I recall -- this was years ago), and I believe she pronounced the name "HIG-em." Curious.

 

[Pyan]

My favourite is the small village in Cumbria that appears on the map as 'Torpenhow', pronounced 'Trepenna'...

 

[HareBrain]

A tourist once asked my sister for directions to "Looburoo" (Loughborough). Given that there are (I believe) seven different ways in English of pronouncing "ough", you can't blame him for plumping for one of the forty-eight incorrect combinations.

 

[Bick]

what @CupofJoe says. High-um with a soft u. I have an acquaintance with that name.

That's what I'd say too.

 

[Bick]

A tourist once asked my sister for directions to "Looburoo" (Loughborough). Given that there are (I believe) seven different ways in English of pronouncing "ough", you can't blame him for plumping for one of the forty-eight incorrect combinations.

Ha! Looboroo, that's funny. And likewise Worcestershire sauce, pronounced by most as "wooster" sauce, and similarly the town Leicester, is of cause "Lester". That seems to get the American tourists every time.

 

[Bick]

Oh and there's a town in Devon spelled Woolfardisworthy which is pronounced "Woolzery"

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Ha! Looboroo, that's funny. And likewise Worcestershire sauce, pronounced by most as "wooster" sauce, and similarly the town Leicester, is of cause "Lester". That seems to get the American tourists every time.

Those are probably the two I would feel fairly confident in.

How about the sister-cities of Nacogdoches, Texas ("nak-uh-doh-shus"), and Natchitoches, Louisiana ("nak-uh-dush")?

 

[Extollager]

A friend lives in Pierre — pronounced “peer” — South Dakota.

 

[hitmouse]

Ha! Looboroo, that's funny. And likewise Worcestershire sauce, pronounced by most as "wooster" sauce, and similarly the town Leicester, is of cause "Lester". That seems to get the American tourists every time.

And dont get me started on Penistone.