NanceXToo Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I should start by confessing that I have NO IDEA how to pronounce many of the names we read for SOTW. When I'm reading aloud from the various supplemental reading books and I come across difficult names, I don't look up how to pronounce them, I just fumble my way through them, or we'd be there forever. Today, we were reading "Made in China" for the chapter on Confucius, and we started reading about Lao Zi. I had no idea how to pronounce that, but I interpreted it as Low (rhymes with cow) Zee. You know how sometimes something really stupid makes you start giggling uncontrollably and you can't stop? Right after I read it to my daughter, I said, "Hey, his name's lousy!" and I started giggling. Then my daughter started giggling. And next thing we knew, we were hysterical laughing- tears rolling down our faces, stomachs hurting, and we couldn't stop laughing. And every time one of us would manage to stop, the other would snort or giggle and it would start all over again. Finally I gasped, "Enough! I have to think of something sad like, like, a dead baby deer." To which dd11 replied "Dead baby deer are lousy!" And we started cracking up again. Was it all for nothing? Did I totally mispronounce it? :lol: It was fun, anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 :lol: I always look up the tricky names in the pronunciation guide in the activity book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 :lol: :lol: Those are the funnest times in school. :) Your dd will never forget Lao Zi I can tell you that.:) hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 :lol: (That's how I would have pronounced it, too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 :lol: :lol: Those are the funnest times in school. :) Your dd will never forget Lao Zi I can tell you that.:) hehehe Either will I! LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Either will I! LOL. hehehehe I love those times in school. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Was it all for nothing? Did I totally mispronounce it? :lol: It was fun, anyway! You were half right. The Lau does rhyme with cow, but the zi is most decidedly NOT zee. It is a short i, like zit without the ending t. It has been romanized as tzu, which isn't bad if you don't focus on the vowel sound. Also the Lao gets the stress, as in lousy. Say as if you are starting to say lousy but are cutting yourself off abruptly before you get the eeee sound out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 dd has a male friend from VIetnam, his name is Man Le. Boy does she have fun with his name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 You were half right. The Lau does rhyme with cow, but the zi is most decidedly NOT zee. It is a short i, like zit without the ending t. It has been romanized as tzu, which isn't bad if you don't focus on the vowel sound. Also the Lao gets the stress, as in lousy. Say as if you are starting to say lousy but are cutting yourself off abruptly before you get the eeee sound out! Thank you for clarifying! I will let DD know and will pronounce it right next time (though I don't think I'll ever be able to stop myself from thinking 'lousy' whenever I see that name haha) dd has a male friend from VIetnam, his name is Man Le. Boy does she have fun with his name. :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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