Maria/Mariah
I am aware that at some point the name Maria was pronounced Mariah. I know this was done in England during the regency era but that's the little I know. Can anyone tell me more? Was it always pronounced that way? When did it change to the current pronunciation? Is it still pronounced that way anywhere? Was it pronounced that way as a general rule, or was it more of a regional dialect/accent that caused the pronunciation? Any information could be helpful.
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According to CKE, the change was due to the Great Vowel Shift. Here's an earlier discussion: http://www.behindthename.com/bb/fact/3052716
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