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Thread: How do you pronounce "Alyosha"?

  1. #1
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    How do you pronounce "Alyosha"?

    Hi, I'm new here, having done a Google search for a clue on how to pronounce Karamazov. I need some more help. I love the Bs K, but those Russian names tie my tongue in knots. How should I pronounce "Alyosha"?

    My first guess is "ah LYE oh SHA". Which sounds rather close to Elisha. Any help, anyone?

    I really love it here. Thanks, you guys, for the welcome.

  2. #2
    Piglet RJbibliophil's Avatar
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    Welcome! I do not know, but there is surely someone around here who knows. Why not try asking in the appropriate forum dedicated to that author?
    When ideas fail, words come in very handy.


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    Thanks

    Thanks RJ. It will take me a while to learn my around.

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    "Alyosha" is pronounced just the way you read it,with the exeption of the "y" that you read as an "i" at "irresistible".
    Last edited by Remarkable; 04-13-2008 at 07:35 AM.
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    Registered User aeroport's Avatar
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    The Pevear and Volokhonsky translations include a list of pronunciations at the beginning: they have "Alyosha" - three syllables, I think.

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    Actually it's not difficult to sound "Alyosha", but it's rather difficult to explain. In Russian this word looks like "Алёша" and there are three syllables А-лё-ша. So in English it is the same - A-loy-sha. The 1st syllable "A" - Russian "a" always sounds as "a" in word "car". The second "lyo" consists from 2 sounds - [l] - like "l" in word "alien" and [o]. And the 3d one "sha" - I think it's clear how to pronounce it))

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    I skip between AL-EE-O-Sha and A-LOY-SHA in my head whenever I am reading TBK.

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    Ataraxia bazarov's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by near a sunset View Post
    Actually it's not difficult to sound "Alyosha", but it's rather difficult to explain. In Russian this word looks like "Алёша" and there are three syllables А-лё-ша. So in English it is the same - A-loy-sha. The 1st syllable "A" - Russian "a" always sounds as "a" in word "car". The second "lyo" consists from 2 sounds - [l] - like "l" in word "alien" and [o]. And the 3d one "sha" - I think it's clear how to pronounce it))
    A-lyo-sha

    Quote Originally Posted by wat?? View Post
    I skip between AL-EE-O-Sha and A-LOY-SHA in my head whenever I am reading TBK.
    How did you get LOY?

    A - like a in car
    lyo - l is normal, yo like yoyo
    sha - like in shut up
    At thunder and tempest, At the world's coldheartedness,
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  9. #9
    Hitchcock Enthusiast Mathor's Avatar
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    Al-EE-O-SHA
    I'm losing all those stupid games
    That I swore I'd never play

  10. #10
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    It is pronounced AL-O-SHA

    the "Y" is almost silent, and if you don't speak Russian it's fine to treat it as silent

    it is not AL-EE-O-SHA - it's just three syllables, not four
    Last edited by Luis; 01-10-2012 at 09:33 AM.

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