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Archiver > SUFFOLK > 2001-05 > 0989091263


From: "Simon" <>
Subject: Re: say Twaite
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 20:34:23 +0100
References: <000d01c0d30a$61401fe0$b8b0fea9@oemcomputer> <002801c0d592$c991f020$b1d22cc3@m037pn00>


Hi Adrian,

Thwaite was a difficult one, because I wasn't trying to give a Suffolk
dialect pronunciation of the placenames, but a Standard English
pronunciation. This point seems to have been lost somewhere along the way!

Friends of mine in Stoke Ash call it Twaite, but most English people
wouldn't, I think. I've tried to give the local pronunciation in addition,
where significant (for example, Melf't for Melford) but the point of the
list was Standard English pronunciations.

Another example is Lavenham, which most English people would pronounce
Laven'um, as three syllables, but locals call Lav'num, as two.

I'll certainly mention the 'Thwaite as Twaite' pronunciation in the final
version of the list, which should go on line in the next week or so. Many
thanks also to the twenty or so people who contacted me offering
suggestions, which will be incorporated into the published version. The
major error seems to have been Whelnetham, which I gave as Well-nay-th'm,
stress on the second syllable, but I am assured by several people that it is
in fact Well-nee-th'm, stress on the second syllable. I've not heard, but I
assume that the same is true of Thel-nee-th'm.

Other points people made were that people in Athelington call it
Ath-ling-t'n, not Allingt'n, and this latter pronunciation seems to have
been lost. Also, that four syllable placenames usually have an equal stress
on the third syllable as well as the first - Kettlebaston for example. Not
all, and one person said that the stress in Somerleyton is on the third
syllable, as in Chelmondiston, and I think that they are right.

Most popular correction? That Kedington is locally Kitton or Ketton, of
course! I'll mention this as a local pronunciation, but even people in
Hay-v'rill seem to call it Keding-t'n!

Simon

PS: You are right about foreigner, though - I'm not even from Suffolk ;-)




www.suffolkchurches.co.uk - an alternative guide to the churches of
Suffolk.




----- Original Message -----
From: ADH <>
To: <>
Sent: 05 May 2001 19:33
Subject: Re: say Twaite


> I disagree with Simon's view over the pronounciation, (or is it
pronunciation!) of Thwaite?
> I think that only a foreigner from Ipswich would say "TH-WAITE"!
>
> Adrian
>
>
> p.s The Vocabulary of East Anglia (first printed in 1830), by Rev Robert
Forby, clearly explains the correct pronunciation of Suffolk & Norfolk
words, including a detailed etymology.
> David & Charles reprinted the 2 volumes a few years ago.
>
>
>
>
>

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