How do you pronounce...

fine... but is it 'taler like taller / dollar' or 'taler like mailer / baler'? Or is that based on location too?l..... Like pal. With er. I think. Like ink or blink. or is it theainq?

 

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The former, I'd say. In German the first syllable sounds like "taah", but in English, thaler sounds more like taller. Again, Merriam-Webster to the rescue ...

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taler
(click on the icon on that page to hear the word)

Christian

 

Yeah, I've always heard that it was "deem" a couple centuries ago.

 

Christian,

The pronounciation in German is somewhat dialect dependent (i.e. which German State or area in which you live)! Most folks in Ober (Upper) Hessen, pronounce it like Tah-ler. I would hate to know how folks in Schwäbisch Gmünd pronounce it, because I cannot understand them at all!:rolling:


Frank

 

That's certainly true of disme !

 

This one could get ugly. Don't try it in polite company !

 

hehehehe

 

So is it true the 2 cent was a biteme?

 

I remember studying about Neanderthal Man when I was in school. (Sorry, Creationists. I'm not trying to start a debate about Creationism here.) Fossils of a prehistoric human were found in Germany in the mid-19th century. That creature became known as "Neanderthal Man" after its discovery location in the Neander Thal or Neander Valley. (Thal is German for valley.) We incorrectly learned to pronounce the word Neanderthal, just as it is spelled. (Don't ask how our teacher taught us to pronounce Helena, Montana.)

Interestingly, the Neander Thal was named after a German named Neumann. In German Neuman means "new man" and Neander is the Greek translation of "new man". So Neanderthal Man is literally "New Man Valley Man".

The Germans pronounce thal 'tal'. About a century ago Germany updated their language so that words would be spelled as they are pronounced. So thal became tal and Neanderthal became Neandertal. We in the US have yet to fully recognize the correct spelling or pronunciation.

What does this have to with this thread? Thaler is a German word whose spelling was changed a century ago to taler and is pronounced toller regardless of the spelling. Many believe our word dollar came from the word thaler.

That's your history lesson for the day. Class dismissed.

 

Since I am just a few kilometers away from Neanderthal let me add that the name of the man the valley was named after was actually Joachim Neander. But it was somewhat common among the "literate" in those times to latinize or graecize (sp?) one's name, and the original name of the family was Neumann indeed.

Good. I mean, Neumannthal would have sounded ... less classy, hehe. By the way, when a new museum was built at the site a couple of years ago, they picked the spelling with the "th" again as that is the term or version that is internationally known. Thus the Neanderthal Museum is in the Neandertal ...

The word T(h)aler comes from a place called Joachimsthal (now Jáchymov, CZ) where silver was found. The coins from those mines were called Joachimsthaler or just Thaler. And that is basically where currency names such as taler, dollar, daalder, tolar etc. come from.

Christian

 

And I thought OLDMAN not ''newman'' was the Neanderthal man here.........Just kidding.

 

Christian,

Thanks for your input. The proper pronunciation of the old spelling of those German words is difficult (or impossible) for many Americans. We have a tendency of pronouning words the way WE would if they were American or English words.

 

Hobo,

If you believe that it is pronounced as toller no matter what the spelling, then you need to visit the many States in Germany! I have and can tell you from experience, that it may be pronounced that way in some German States but not all of them. My wife is from Stadt Lich in Hessen and if you want, she will give you a lesson in German! She holds a Bachelors Degree in General Studies (and only likes about 5 Semester hours to get a Masters Degree) with emphasis on History (World and American), German and English. She is fluent in German and English and can hold her own in French, Russian and some Spanish and has even taught German.


Frank

 

and still others pronounce it dis-mee. Personally I prefer deem; as in "I deem this disme (deem) acceptable for my collection". lol

 

Frank,

I am sure there are dialects across Germany just as there are across the US. Where I grew up the word aunt is pronounced like ant (the insect). In other regions it is pronounced ahnt. I can believe that in Germany the word thaler has more than one pronunciation.

I will defer to your wife in this matter. I hope she likes that final course that she "likes". (Or was that lacks?)

 

Yep. Aunt is absolutely supposed to be pronounced "ant"

 

......You say Tomayto and I say Toemato.....

 

Nope! Most times...I say mater!


Frank

 

This is what I say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nitgmAInI18

clembo

 

Hobo,

Sadly, my wife will probably never get her Masters Degree! After having a Miscarriage in 1995 while attending College and which was apparently due to the onset of Endometriosis, her health has gone down hill ever since. She struggled through her last year at U.T while doing some Interning and teaching and finally had to quit when they would not help her get an Internship and teaching assignments closer to home. She was having to drive 75 miles each weekday, then return to U.T. for evening classes before coming home late which was another 75 miles or more. She is only 51 but now has Diabetes, Diverticulitis, High Blood Pressure and Arthritis besides the Endometriosis and a host of other problems.


Frank