Pronunciation of common industry brands/words... at DVinfo.net

Xiaoli Wang · January 30th, 2005, 07:47 PM

I'm new to a lot of film and video stuff and figure that one day I may seriously embarrass myself if I have to talk about things I can't pronounce. These following words have been bugging me. Hopefully those with knowledge can help.

Kino Flo
Arriflex, Arri (is it are-I, or are-E)
Aaton
Sekonic
Matte

I know there's probably more, I'll post them if I think of them.

John Sandel · January 30th, 2005, 08:00 PM

I say:

Kino Flo like ... beano joe
Arriflex like ... hair of decks
Arri like ... scary
Aaton like ... Baton (Rouge)
Sekonic like ... thick tonic
Matte like ... bat

These are slang. What matters is that folks on the set understand you. When in doubt, listen--then talk.

Richard Alvarez · January 30th, 2005, 08:05 PM

I'll go along with the above pronunciations... but Sekonic for me usually rhymes with "Say-tonic"

But then, I say Tomahto, you say tomaetoe...

John Sandel · January 30th, 2005, 08:33 PM

Just for that, I won't tell Papert you spelled his name "Paupert" the other day!

Jesse Bekas · February 2nd, 2005, 01:38 AM

I've said and heard...

Kino - same
Arriflex - harry flex
Arri - harry
Aaton - hate in
Sehkonic - same
Matte - same

here's one for ya. I always hear...

Chimera, with "ch" sound

...but I say (and the original word is properly pronounced as)...

Chimera, with a "K" sound.

I will not give in on that one no matter how other people say it. ;)

Sebastian Scherrer · February 2nd, 2005, 03:07 AM

The terms Arri and Arriflex are based on German names (Arri = Arnold & Richter from Munich), so the correct way to pronounce is "Uh-Ree" or [ah:ri] in German.

Nick Kerpchar · February 2nd, 2005, 08:49 AM

Is there a dictionary of cinematic and video terms? Sounds like it would be a good thing to have. Videomaker magazine often has a page of video and editing terms in the back of their magazine but not the pronunciation. Some people may feel that focusing on pronunciation of terms borders snobishness, but it seems that proper pronunciation would be a mark of professionalism.

Reminds me of the story of a young couple driving south from Dallas on Interstate Highway 35. As they drove along they saw signs announcing the mileage to the city of Waco. As each tried to pronounce the name of the city an arguement arose. Was it pronounced Way-co or Wack-o? At the height of the arguement the husband suggested that they pull into the first business they come to and ask someone how they pronounce it. As they entered the city limits they came to a Dairy Queen and promptly drove up to the drive-thru window where a young lady slid open the window and asked for their order. The husband replied, "We are having an arguement over how to pronounce the name of this place. Will you settle the arguement and tell us how you pronounce it?" The young clerk smiled, moistened her lips, and then slowly said, "D-A-I-R-Y Q-U-E-E-N."

Pronunciation is important in many cases. Don't know where you would end up if you asked for directions to Wack-o, Texas. It sure wouldn't be in Way-co.

Richard Alvarez · February 2nd, 2005, 09:41 AM

Oh, don't get me started on place names! Especially in Texas, where all the Spainish names are mangled.

Along the same lines however, the Japanese names for most consumer goods are mis-pronounced here in America anyway. I've been told by a Japanese friend that "NYE -kon" is "nee-KON" and "CAN-nin" is ka-NON".

But then, I had a friend from Australia who tried to convince me they had "Roo-bars" on their land rovers. I told him they would come in handy driving across west texas when he encountered the jack-0-lopes.

Bill Ravens · February 2nd, 2005, 10:07 AM

...and how does one say ..."moire"?
I've been saying "mo'-ray" for years.

Bill Ravens · February 2nd, 2005, 10:13 AM

LOL...

ya ain't seen nuttin', Richard. Here in New Mexico, the corrupted pronunciation of Spanish words is downright embarrasing. For some reason the village of Madrid is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable...as in MA'-drid(said with a very nasal MA). And the mountains of Jemez(HE'-mez) are pronounced HAY'-mus. It took me months to figure out where haymus was.

And the famous mission in Tucson, San Xavier, is a dead givaway for a tourist when they pronounce the hard "X" as in EX-avior.

John Sandel · February 2nd, 2005, 10:41 AM

This is getting off Xiaoli Wang’s topic, but I went to college in St. Louis, where lasting Creole influence gave us such names as Gravois ("GRA-voice") ... a sizeable tectonic crack runs under town & is called the "New MAD-rid" fault.

Of course, here in California, we insist on pronouncing our governor's name through the nose as "ARE-nulled," rather than the more Teutonic "AHH-nult."

Keith Loh · February 2nd, 2005, 12:01 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Bill Ravens : ...and how does one say ..."moire"?
I've been saying "mo'-ray" for years. -->>>

MWAH-RAY is acceptable.

Richard Alvarez · February 2nd, 2005, 12:08 PM

At the risk of sliding even further off-topic, I had the great mis-fortune of being a full time DJ/Newscaster in Houston back in '79 - during the hostage crisis in Iran. Every hour, the AP wire service would send over a different pronuciation for" Ayotallah Khomeni" and "Shapur BaHktiar"... the phonetic pronunciations were all over the page!

Pity us poor fools who had to "rip and read".

Marco Leavitt · February 2nd, 2005, 12:16 PM

How about:

Sachtler
Anton Bauer
Lacie

Keith Loh · February 2nd, 2005, 12:28 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Marco Leavitt : How about:
Anton Bauer
-->>>

Ant (as in the insect) - on BOW (as in 'take a bow') - er ?

January 30th, 2005, 07:47 PM	#1
Xiaoli Wang Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 94	Pronunciation of common industry brands/words... I'm new to a lot of film and video stuff and figure that one day I may seriously embarrass myself if I have to talk about things I can't pronounce. These following words have been bugging me. Hopefully those with knowledge can help. Kino Flo Arriflex, Arri (is it are-I, or are-E) Aaton Sekonic Matte I know there's probably more, I'll post them if I think of them.

January 30th, 2005, 08:33 PM	#4
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	Thanks, Richard Just for that, I won't tell Papert you spelled his name "Paupert" the other day!

February 2nd, 2005, 10:41 AM	#11
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	Ah, regionalisms ... This is getting off Xiaoli Wang’s topic, but I went to college in St. Louis, where lasting Creole influence gave us such names as Gravois ("GRA-voice") ... a sizeable tectonic crack runs under town & is called the "New MAD-rid" fault. Of course, here in California, we insist on pronouncing our governor's name through the nose as "ARE-nulled," rather than the more Teutonic "AHH-nult."

February 2nd, 2005, 12:01 PM	#12
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	<<<-- Originally posted by Bill Ravens : ...and how does one say ..."moire"? I've been saying "mo'-ray" for years. -->>> MWAH-RAY is acceptable. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 2nd, 2005, 12:28 PM	#15
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	<<<-- Originally posted by Marco Leavitt : How about: Anton Bauer -->>> Ant (as in the insect) - on BOW (as in 'take a bow') - er ? __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

January 30th, 2005, 08:00 PM	#2
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	I say: Kino Flo like ... beano joe Arriflex like ... hair of decks Arri like ... scary Aaton like ... Baton (Rouge) Sekonic like ... thick tonic Matte like ... bat These are slang. What matters is that folks on the set understand you. When in doubt, listen--then talk.

January 30th, 2005, 08:05 PM	#3
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	I'll go along with the above pronunciations... but Sekonic for me usually rhymes with "Say-tonic" But then, I say Tomahto, you say tomaetoe...

February 2nd, 2005, 01:38 AM	#5
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	I've said and heard... Kino - same Arriflex - harry flex Arri - harry Aaton - hate in Sehkonic - same Matte - same here's one for ya. I always hear... Chimera, with "ch" sound ...but I say (and the original word is properly pronounced as)... Chimera, with a "K" sound. I will not give in on that one no matter how other people say it. ;)

February 2nd, 2005, 03:07 AM	#6
Sebastian Scherrer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Mainz, Germany Posts: 26	The terms Arri and Arriflex are based on German names (Arri = Arnold & Richter from Munich), so the correct way to pronounce is "Uh-Ree" or [ah:ri] in German.

February 2nd, 2005, 08:49 AM	#7
Nick Kerpchar Major Player Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 211	Is there a dictionary of cinematic and video terms? Sounds like it would be a good thing to have. Videomaker magazine often has a page of video and editing terms in the back of their magazine but not the pronunciation. Some people may feel that focusing on pronunciation of terms borders snobishness, but it seems that proper pronunciation would be a mark of professionalism. Reminds me of the story of a young couple driving south from Dallas on Interstate Highway 35. As they drove along they saw signs announcing the mileage to the city of Waco. As each tried to pronounce the name of the city an arguement arose. Was it pronounced Way-co or Wack-o? At the height of the arguement the husband suggested that they pull into the first business they come to and ask someone how they pronounce it. As they entered the city limits they came to a Dairy Queen and promptly drove up to the drive-thru window where a young lady slid open the window and asked for their order. The husband replied, "We are having an arguement over how to pronounce the name of this place. Will you settle the arguement and tell us how you pronounce it?" The young clerk smiled, moistened her lips, and then slowly said, "D-A-I-R-Y Q-U-E-E-N." Pronunciation is important in many cases. Don't know where you would end up if you asked for directions to Wack-o, Texas. It sure wouldn't be in Way-co.

February 2nd, 2005, 09:41 AM	#8
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Oh, don't get me started on place names! Especially in Texas, where all the Spainish names are mangled. Along the same lines however, the Japanese names for most consumer goods are mis-pronounced here in America anyway. I've been told by a Japanese friend that "NYE -kon" is "nee-KON" and "CAN-nin" is ka-NON". But then, I had a friend from Australia who tried to convince me they had "Roo-bars" on their land rovers. I told him they would come in handy driving across west texas when he encountered the jack-0-lopes.

February 2nd, 2005, 10:07 AM	#9
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	...and how does one say ..."moire"? I've been saying "mo'-ray" for years.

February 2nd, 2005, 10:13 AM	#10
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	LOL... ya ain't seen nuttin', Richard. Here in New Mexico, the corrupted pronunciation of Spanish words is downright embarrasing. For some reason the village of Madrid is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable...as in MA'-drid(said with a very nasal MA). And the mountains of Jemez(HE'-mez) are pronounced HAY'-mus. It took me months to figure out where haymus was. And the famous mission in Tucson, San Xavier, is a dead givaway for a tourist when they pronounce the hard "X" as in EX-avior.

February 2nd, 2005, 12:08 PM	#13
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	At the risk of sliding even further off-topic, I had the great mis-fortune of being a full time DJ/Newscaster in Houston back in '79 - during the hostage crisis in Iran. Every hour, the AP wire service would send over a different pronuciation for" Ayotallah Khomeni" and "Shapur BaHktiar"... the phonetic pronunciations were all over the page! Pity us poor fools who had to "rip and read".

February 2nd, 2005, 12:16 PM	#14
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	How about: Sachtler Anton Bauer Lacie