German speakers in the Dressage Scene-- help with a horse name, please?

[mvp]

I know there are some perfectly-situated people who are qualified to help me with a name for my Arabian/WB dressage nugget.

She needs a better registered name than her breeder gave her and I have a cute-- but maybe too difficult-- German name in mind. Among other things, it usually is spelled with an umlaut, which her registering organization doesn’t allow. And so I think Americans won’t get it and horse show announcers will butcher it. Will you guys weigh in on that? If you are game, will you kindly PM me?

Thank you.

[Toblersmom]

Unless you are showing in a German-speaking country, what you want are the opinions of non-German speakers. Assuming I’m reading your question correctly and you want to know if the name sounds “funny”, hard to pronounce, etc. Like the horse in last September’s Extreme Mustang Makeover, named Moana (for the movie about the Polynesian girl, “mo-AH-nah”). Announcer kept pronouncing it “moan-uh”. Fortunately somebody had a word with him before the end of the thing since she was one of the Top Ten.

[mvp]

Yes, I need both. And yes, the main problem will be Americans trying to figure out how to say the name. But I also only know of the word as an American studying German language. So there may be some cultural meanings that I don’t know about. I’d like that info, too.

And I’m guilty of reading “Moana” as “Mona” and thinking it a really, really ugly name/spelling.

Danger abounds in the unusual, doesn’t it? LOL.

[Heinz_57]

@mvp

Yes, I need both. And yes, the main problem will be Americans trying to figure out how to say the name. But I also only know of the word as an American studying German language. So there may be some cultural meanings that I don’t know about. I’d like that info, too.

And I’m guilty of reading “Moana” as “Mona” and thinking it a really, really ugly name/spelling.

Danger abounds in the unusual, doesn’t it? LOL.

I’m in a similar boat over here, trying to come up with a better name for my Connemara cross… want something Gaelic, don’t want something that is going to end up announced as garbled gibberish. :lol: The name her breeder registered her with grates on my nerves - I’m not sure whether to think she’s supposed to be a Spanish maiden or a character from Lord of the Rings.

Perhaps a poll? Either a COTH poll, or find a dozen or so non-German speakers and ask them how they would pronounce your chosen name? If the majority succeeds maybe you have a winner. Then again, there does seem to be some prestige in competing a horse whose name is only pronounce-able by a native speaker, secret society or underground fan club - it seems to be the mark of a “true” German Dressage Horse. :lol:

I never had any trouble with Moana, but I have a general grasp on Hawaiian pronunciation rules. Not everyone does.

[AnotherRound]

I’ll never forget my horse’s trainer having her personal horse called out over the loudspeaker - his name is Topazio. “Toppa-zeye-oh.” Oh, please.

[chestnutmarebeware]

There’s non-German speakers, and then there’s horse show announcers! :lol: They’re a whole different subset. I think announcers amuse themselves by coming up with creative name pronunciations just for grins. (I probably would—especially with the uber-pretentious ones.) Track announcers seem to be a little better at getting names right.

[halt]

OP, share the name!

So much is lost in language and, interpretation of language, and one native speaker’s bias to certain word[s] that resemble words in their native language.

I knew an adorable nugget of a pony, who was called “Donut” in German - which is spelled Krapfen, pronounced KRUP-fen. It was a perfect name for him but Americans always recoiled at the spelling.

Announcers will be your downfall because most of them will not be able to pronounce it if it is too complex.

[Mondo]

I love this thread! LOL. I am reminded of a friend’s jumper years ago. The horse’s name was Allez Bien (be well in French). As she began her course, the announcer pronounced her horse’s name: A lesbian. :lol::lol::lol:

[Mara]

Just don’t include “Fuchs” anywhere in the name…

[mvp]

@chestnutmarebeware

There’s non-German speakers, and then there’s horse show announcers! :lol: They’re a whole different subset. I think announcers amuse themselves by coming up with creative name pronunciations just for grins. (I probably would—especially with the uber-pretentious ones.) Track announcers seem to be a little better at getting names right.

That Truth accepted, have any of you spelled out the pronunciation of your horse’s name on your entry blank?

People screw up my first and last name, so I’m loath to do that to a horse, if I have a choice.

Oh, and my other name for her is Spanish. The big problem is that her registering organization won’t allow the apostrophe in there, and there’s also a silent G.

I’d tell you all these cute, cute, cute feminine names, but then you’d take 'em and I’d have to kill you.

[ClaraLuisa]

OP, please share!
Having ridden a “Wenderochen” (registered name meaning “stingray”) for many​ years, believe me I thought long and hard about naming the young one. I am now relieved that announcers only have to deal with “Londonhall” (perfectly useful German for “London echo”, and they can pronounce it.)

[Posting_Trot]

@Mondo

I love this thread! LOL. I am reminded of a friend’s jumper years ago. The horse’s name was Allez Bien (be well in French). As she began her course, the announcer pronounced her horse’s name: A lesbian. :lol::lol::lol:

I loved this!
For the OP, I think you’re better off going with something that announcers won’t have any possible problems with, unless you have an unshakeable sense of humor (or you’re not really going to show very much!).

[fanfayre]

@chestnutmarebeware

There’s non-German speakers, and then there’s horse show announcers! :lol: They’re a whole different subset. I think announcers amuse themselves by coming up with creative name pronunciations just for grins. (I probably would—especially with the uber-pretentious ones.) Track announcers seem to be a little better at getting names right.

HA!!!
Try Welsh! We finally renamed our pony’s show name from 'Bryn Arw" (his real name- means White Hill) to ‘Brin Arrow’ so it wasn’t so badly butchered by the announcers every single time we went into the ring together (mind you, it took us several years also to figure out how to pronounce it, so I did have some sympathy for them).

[MissAriel]

@Mondo

I love this thread! LOL. I am reminded of a friend’s jumper years ago. The horse’s name was Allez Bien (be well in French). As she began her course, the announcer pronounced her horse’s name: A lesbian. :lol::lol::lol:

Please tell me the announcer announced, “now in the ring is Suzy Smith riding a lesbian” :lol::lol:

[chestnutmarebeware]

@fanfayre

HA!!!
Try Welsh! We finally renamed our pony’s show name from 'Bryn Arw" (his real name- means White Hill) to ‘Brin Arrow’ so it wasn’t so badly butchered by the announcers every single time we went into the ring together (mind you, it took us several years also to figure out how to pronounce it, so I did have some sympathy for them).

I also sympathize–I remember a beautiful Welsh pony decades ago called Coed Coch (something). I was afraid to mention him out loud because I had no idea how to pronounce his name.

And I would like some Llanwenog sheep, but can’t figure out where the emphasis goes. And how is the girl’s name Sian pronounced?

The Welsh language has become my Waterloo!

[anon55755751]

The umlaut is easy to get around. These vowels can all be replaced with the corresponding un-umlauted vowel, followed by an e. I.e. ä=ae, ö=oe, etc. In the case of ae, I think it does help some with English pronunciation (e.g. Maedchen). With the others…maybe not?

[fanfayre]

Sian = Shan, or sometimes Shawn.

[mvp]

@anon55755751

The umlaut is easy to get around. These vowels can all be replaced with the corresponding un-umlauted vowel, followed by an e. I.e. ä=ae, ö=oe, etc. In the case of ae, I think it does help some with English pronunciation (e.g. Maedchen). With the others…maybe not?

I don’t think it will help with the U I have going on in this case.

Bums me out to have to practice “defensive naming” against horse show announcers.

[Mondo]

“Please tell me the announcer announced, “now in the ring is Suzy Smith riding a lesbian” :lol::lol:” That is EXACTLY what he said! It was hysterical!

[anon55755751]

ue could work ok, depending on the word: Gluecksbringer is pretty similar in German and English, for example. I don’t think it looks very nice on paper, but it doesn’t sound too bad and has a nice meaning.