pronouced van gogh...?

Question

it is Not exactly Van Goe---so how is it said? I was in the Netherlands recently, heard it, forgot it. I think the gh has a hard slurred sound.

Answer 1

The pronunciation--it's difficult to put into words. The "Van" is a bit like "Fen" with the V sounding like a half V and half F. The "a" isn't quite like a short "e", but it's softer than North Americans pronounce it.

The Gogh--it's tricky. The first G sounds a bit like a guttural H, the "o" sound stays the same pretty much the same (but not as harsh sounding as the "o" in "go") and the final GH is sort of like a guttural CH, like in the name Johann Sebastian Bach.

Answer 2

It's common in the U.S. to pronounce it "Van Go," but less so in Britain, where the more correct pronunciation tends to be used. The previous respondent had it right when he said that the 'v' is pronounced between a 'v' and an 'f', and both the 'g' and the 'gh' are pronounced in a manner similar to the 'ch' in "loch" (Scottish lake). However, to make this even easier, the Wikipedia entry on Van Gogh includes an audio file of his name, pronounced correctly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Gogh

Convenient, no?

Answer 3

Ok. The British pronounciation is like Van Goff (sort of rhymes with cough) but with the ff part in the back of the throut the way German pronounce things! Say Van Goff but don't let your teeth touch your lips nor come together at the end of the word and there you are!

Answer 4

In the US it's Van Go. What do the Dutch know?

Answer 5

The Dutch know, it is a DUTCH painter!!!!!!!!!! It is a hard sound prenounced in the back of your throat. Easiest is to find someone Dutch and practise a bit.

Answer 6

You can hear the pronunciation here:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/van%20gogh

Answer 7

It's a soft "k" or harsh "ch" something inbetween. like the ch in Chanukah.