I know it is a Hungarian surname, and a British word for the pen developed by said Hungarian. Are they pronounced the same? I have read that Biro is pronounced in Britain like lido, but there is disagreement as to how that is pronounced. Is it a long E sound or a long I sound?
2006-10-21 06:45:21 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The Jewish Biro brothers invented and really developed the ball point pen. They hailed form England but moved to argentina and did their inventing there. Their surname would be pronounced Bee row. But the name for the ballpoint pen in England comemorates them but with an English pronunciation. Namely Bye Row. England and modern English speakers have been using the long form of vowels since the early 1600's, while the Continent uses short vowel pronunciations. For example oblige, is pronounced Oh bl eye j, in England and oh bleej in European languages. The origin and reason for the great vowel shift in early 1600's English is a mystery. Queen Elizabeth the First (died 1603), would have pronounced it "oh bleej".
To summarise call it a "bye row" in England and a ballpoint pen elsewhere.
Doc. Dan.
2006-10-21 11:26:59 · answer #1 · answered by Dan S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi! I'm British, and we pronounce it BYE-RO ... No idea if that's how the Hungarian's would pronounce it, but don't think you'll find anyone in Britain who will argue with you!
2006-10-21 06:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by emmorticia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since it ends with a vowel the i would have the long i sound.
2006-10-21 07:04:55 · answer #3 · answered by Hamish 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋