If it's pronounced Sowen then oughtn't it be spelled sowen, not sam-hain? If it's written in a non-English lettering where letters are pronounced differently then oughtn't it have some little signs or symbols on those letters like they do for Vietnamese language? Can someone clear up this confusion? I'll die saying it Sam-hain.
2007-10-05 14:13:27 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Halloween
âm đôi thanh điệu huyền nặng
русский язык
Raymond Luxury-Yacht (pronounced Throat-Warbler Mangrove)
2007-10-05 14:16:51 · update #1
Then you will die mispronouncing the word...
Samhain is from the Old Irish samain the word for November in the Gaelic languages.
It's Gaelic.
Ever seen the Gaelic name Siobhan? It's pronounced like Shavon.
Not everything "sounds out" in English the way we want it to...
2007-10-05 14:28:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Samhain Dictionary
2016-12-17 18:32:17 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are trying to sound much smarter than they really are. Sowane/Sowain/Sowin etc have become very popular among pagans and amateur Gaelic speakers since the mid '90s. The idea has spread all over the internet and has become accepted as fact by a lot of well meaning, but misinformed people. It is an example of what philologists call an over-correction. Samhain is how you would spell it in English to sound correctly.
2016-05-22 01:44:35 · answer #3 · answered by JASON C 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is Sowen, and it is not misinformed to say it that way, it is simply correct. To disagree would be a bit like complaining about pronouncing things like Grand Prix, or Hotel Deluxe, or The Woolwich Building Society Bank.
2016-10-22 03:09:15 · answer #4 · answered by Stephen 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because that's how the dictionary says the pronunciation is
Oxford English Dictionary
Samhain
/sown, sowin/
• noun a festival held by the ancient Celts on 1 November, marking the beginning of winter and the Celtic new year.
— ORIGIN Old Irish samain.
being old Irish also may give reason Sean is pronounced Shaun
2007-10-05 14:25:04 · answer #5 · answered by silkin_storm 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Get this: Sidhe is pronounced she. Words come from all over. That is why if you see Akeelah and the Bee, you notice that the spellers ask the origin of the word. I live in Philadelphia. Shouldnt that be spelled with an F. And what is with that silent K in knee? Can you think of any word that is spelled fonetikally?
2007-10-05 14:25:49 · answer #6 · answered by kitttykitti 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋