Pronunciation Question

[kiwihill3000]

How do you pronounce the bit, Boucher? I’ve heard at least 7 different ways of pronouncing it.
Bow-cher
Bow-sher
Boo-cher
Boo-sher
Boo-shay
Boo-chuh
Boo-jha

Someone help settle this and help me not sound like an idiot!
Thanks in advance

[NoSuchPerson]

Boo-shay, but I’m probably an idiot, so don’t take my word on it. :lol:

[banmharcach]

Think it is actually a “Baucher” so bow-cher (bow rhyming with now not know) or boe-shay

Baucher bits are named after Francois Baucher (1796-1873)

[Pennywell_Bay]

Definitely Boo-shay

I believe it’s a French pronunciation.

I still say bow-cher (to drive my dressage-diva friend nuts) and blame it on my East Coast accent :lol:

Boo-shay just sounds way to fancy coming out of my mouth amongst so many expletives

[aregard]

If you aren’t confident in the answers you are getting, call it a “Hanging cheek” snaffle instead.

(I always said Boo Shay. But I mispronounce breeches, always have and always will.)

[Edre]

I speak just enough French that even if it isn’t french, I will always pronounce it that way. (Boo-shay)

[rockonxox]

Boo shay.

[Training_Cupid]

@aregard

If you aren’t confident in the answers you are getting, call it a “Hanging cheek” snaffle instead.

(I always said Boo Shay. But I mispronounce breeches, always have and always will.)

How do you mispronounce breeches???

I also say boo-shay.

[WildGooseChase]

Bitting specialist and owner of Bit Bank Australia Charmae Bell pronounces it “bow-cher” and that’s how I’ve always heard it, even from my mother who is fluent in French and used to live there.

[RainWeasley]

@Edre

I speak just enough French that even if it isn’t french, I will always pronounce it that way. (Boo-shay)

Same but since its Baucher, I say “Boe-shay”.

[WildLittleWren]

I have always called it a BOW-CHER but… I don’t honestly know the real way to say it so take this with a grain of salt :lol:

[banmharcach]

@WildLittleWren

I have always called it a BOW-CHER but… I don’t honestly know the real way to say it so take this with a grain of salt :lol:

All good as an anglicized version as long as that “bow” is as in “take a bow” and not as in “bow-tie” :).
The French version would be “boe-shay”

Apologies to all phoneticists out there…

[Beck]

“Boe-shay”

[aregard]

@Training Cupid

How do you mispronounce breeches???

British English is biased by their very national origin. Breeches ise pronounced “Britches”. (British Britches.)

American English is more phonetic. Breeches is pronounced “breeeches.”

[Rallycairn]

They are britches to me, though I can see breeeeches. Don’t get “breeks,” which I have also heard, but rarely.

[grayarabs]

bo shay

[XXS]

Boschee. No y.

[WildLittleWren]

@banmharcach

All good as an anglicized version as long as that “bow” is as in “take a bow” and not as in “bow-tie” :).
The French version would be “boe-shay”

Apologies to all phoneticists out there…

Yes I pronounce it bow as in take a bow :lol:

As for breeches, I call them BREE-CHIZ lol

[Alterration]

Bo-share. In French it would appropriately be boo-shay (with the y between a y and an r) but I already tend to sound unintentionally pretentious so I try to keep my French injections to a minimum and only use it when I’m actually speaking French.

[Beck]

@Alterration

Bo-share. In French it would appropriately be boo-shay (with the y between a y and an r) but I already tend to sound unintentionally pretentious so I try to keep my French injections to a minimum and only use it when I’m actually speaking French.

Wouldn’t “boo” be “Bou-” in French? As in “bouche”? Since it is “Bau-” wouldn’t it be differently pronounced?