Thursday, July 26, 2007

Correct Pronunciation: Letter "A"

Abelairas (arg.)
The surname of this left-wing of River Plate is written without any accent signs, but I met it written like this Abélairas. So, very likely that it should be pronounced with the first syllable stressed.

Adãozinho (br.)
We'll talk in detail about this complicated Portuguese dyphtong later. As for now, it's a diminuitive of the Biblical name Adão (a-dan). The suffix "-inho" is pronounced in Brazil as "ee-noo". So, "a-dan-zee-noo".

Ahumada (arg.)
In Spanish language "h" is mute.

Alemão (br.)
The same complicated suffix. The name should be read as "Aleman" ("German").

Alе́x (br.)
It was fun to hear in Coritiba camp as the name of club´s most prominent alumnus is pronounced with the second syllable stressed.

А́lvarez, А́lvaro (span.)
Both name and its derivative surname are pronouced with the first syllable stressed.

Andrе́s (span.)
The Spanish name is often pronounced in English way. The correct variant has the second syllable stressed.

Arellano (mex.)
The double "l" in Spanish language may be pronounced in several ways, depending on the region. Spain, Cuba and Mexico say it more or less as "y" - "Areyano". The lower you descend to the South of America, the more chances you get to hear it as "Arejano" or even "Areshano". The "L" does not sound there in any case.

Aristizа́bal (span.)
All surnames with this suffix should be stressed like this.

Arouca (br.)
In most cases Portuguese "ou" is pronounced as "o". One of exceptions - "Souza".

Ayoví (ven.)
The tricky surname of Ecuadorian playmaker has the stress on the last syllable.

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