pronunciation: Rosalyn vs Rosalynn

Ali Smith

Ali Smith

Senior Member
Urdu - Pakistan
Hi,

I know the first syllable of Rosalynn (as in Rosalynn Carter) is always pronounced rose. What about the first syllable of Rosalyn (as in Rosalyn Tureck or Rosalyn, the babysitter in Calvin and Hobbes)?

Thanks!
 
    • For what it's worth, there's a pop song by Sheryl Crow entitled "Sweet Rosalyn," which you can find videos of easily. It sounds like she sings that syllable as Rose.
     
    In these examples, in the absence of more information, I always assume that the initial syllable is pronounced "rozz."

    Which, I suppose, could offend lots of people bearing that name and pronouncing it otherwise.
     
    WyomingSue said:
    People may have their own way of pronouncing their name that differs from how someone else pronounces their own name even when spelled the same.
    In the case of the former president's wife, it's pronounced Roz-a-linn.
    Click to expand...
    Not sure what "o" sound you're representing in "Roz" because I've been watching some videos about her, including excerpts where Jimmy Carter talks about her, and the "o" is definitely being pronounced as in the flower "rose" (which does not coincide with how a British person would pronounce "Roz", which would, as far as I know, have an "o" as in "top").
     
    I agree with the other BrE-speaking members. I don't come across the name very often, but when I see it in print I'm reminded of the "Roz", with an "o" as in "top" (BrE version), that David Bowie gave to the name Rosalyn in the eponymous song.
     
    Aguas Claras said:
    I've been watching some videos about her, including excerpts where Jimmy Carter talks about her, and the "o" is definitely being pronounced as in the flower "rose"
    Click to expand...
    Then that is the correct way to pronounce her name. But most people have not watched these videos, so most people don't know how she chose to pronounce it. They guess, and (because there are 2 common pronunciations) they might guess wrong.

    We don't know how the cartoon character pronounces it. Maybe the cartoonist never chose a pronunciation at all.
     
    That does seem to be the way it is pronounced in the videos. My recollection was as a person who lived through the Carter presidency. Maybe the newscasters pronounced it wrong for four years and finally got it right before she died?
     
    I remember it being a subject of discussion when he was elected and I remember the Rose pronunciation being spread as the correct one of how she said it. It was slightly unusual because there was a famous movie star some years before that who was named Rosalind Russell and she definitely had the Roz pronunciation, as did others named Rosalyn. Keep in mind also that there are regional differences between the North and Northeast and the deep South, where the Carter's are from. To me Rosalyn (with a Roz) sounds like a northern name, but maybe that's just me.

    Some "first names" are really two separate first names grouped as one concept, so Sue Ellen can be a first name used by someone who is never known as simply Sue or Ellen. She is Sue Ellen. Sometimes those names can be joined. My feeling with no evidence is that Rosalynn Carter's name comes from this tradition where it's ultimately a combination of Rose and Lynn.
     
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    WyomingSue said:
    That does seem to be the way it is pronounced in the videos. My recollection was as a person who lived through the Carter presidency. Maybe the newscasters pronounced it wrong for four years and finally got it right before she died?
    Click to expand...
    Newscasters say all kinds of things so you may well be right. I think, though, that her husband's pronunciation of it is pretty conclusive.
     
    Note that these are different US/UK female given names:
    - Rosalyn
    - Rosalynn
    - Rosalynd
    - Rosa
    - Rose
    - Lynn/Lynne

    "Rosalynn" and "Rosalynd" derive from Old German.
    "Rosalyn" and "Rosa" derive from Spanish.
    "Rose" is from French.
    "Lynn" is from Welsh.
     
    I also think that the pronunciation may differ depending on whether you see the name "Rosalynn" as an alternative form of "Rosalind" (which was not uncommon when I was younger), in which case it would have the "o" sound as in "top", or whether you see it as a combination of "Rosa" and "Lynn", in which case it would be more logical to use the "o" of "Rose".
     
    Anybody can choose how they want their name to be pronounced and make their wishes known to their family, friends and colleagues.

    Of course, if their preference differs significantly from the norm, they have to be prepared for others to use the standard pronunciation.
     
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