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HelpWhy is William labeled as having 2 syllables?
I have a William in my family, and it is pronounced with 3 syllables. I’ve never met a William that pronounced it “will-yum” and I’ve known my share. Liam is a nickname for William, and that has two syllables. It’s like saying Gabriel is pronounced with 2 syllables. Simply not true.
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Replies
Same. I've known Williams and its always been will-ee-um
As a side note, I didn't know Liam was a nn for William for years and years because none of the Williams I knew went by Liam and I've known independent Liams (as in, that's their full name, not a nickname). All the Williams go by Will, but my best friend as a toddler went by Willy to some of the other kids. I found that odd as a child because of the body part connection and I never called him that because it felt rude. I don't believe he goes by that now, however
As a side note, I didn't know Liam was a nn for William for years and years because none of the Williams I knew went by Liam and I've known independent Liams (as in, that's their full name, not a nickname). All the Williams go by Will, but my best friend as a toddler went by Willy to some of the other kids. I found that odd as a child because of the body part connection and I never called him that because it felt rude. I don't believe he goes by that now, however
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Americans pronounce it Will-yum
My theory is they met a Willem and when they met a William they grouped them together. We're good at using our own interpretations instead of actually learning. lol
My theory is they met a Willem and when they met a William they grouped them together. We're good at using our own interpretations instead of actually learning. lol
This message was edited 10/17/2023, 9:41 AM
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Because it does have two syllables in most parts of the world. I’ve never heard it pronounced with 3, ever.
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Different places to pronounce names different ways of course, though I don't think I've ever heard anyone pronounce it as three
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Here's Forvo
This is where I go when I need to pronounce a name.
https://forvo.com/search/William/
This is where I go when I need to pronounce a name.
https://forvo.com/search/William/
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In my accent it's Will-yum and doesn't really have the "Liam" sound in it. Sometimes there's a bit of a third syllable in there but it's more of an "accidental" syllable that appears when you say Will-yum, since it's smooth and there's no stop after the 'Will'.
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Where are you from? I've never heard it pronounced as 3 distinct syllables.
I think the Y in "Will-yum" can be a semivowel (so the ee would be slightly more emphasized but doesn't count as a syllable). I've heard it that way occasionally.
I think the Y in "Will-yum" can be a semivowel (so the ee would be slightly more emphasized but doesn't count as a syllable). I've heard it that way occasionally.
This message was edited 10/14/2023, 9:55 AM
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As someone named William, I pronounce it with two syllables; I prefer the “Will-yum” pronunciation to “Wil-lee-uhm”. Though, most people where I live say “Wee-uhm” (unless they don’t have the regional accent). I don’t know why, but I sometimes cringe when I hear my name said with three syllables. I makes more sense to give it three syllables, as that makes it phonetically sound. However, I think that “Will-yum” sounds nicer to my ears. I normally go by Will, anyways; Liam has never suited me.
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I can hear it with two syllables if I enunciate, although the last two syllables come together as Liam.
Otherwise, it's will-yum.
My parents are sticklers for clear enunciation (HUT-ton, not hutt-in, li-bray-re, not li-berry) and they've never made me say William multiple times until I got the three-syllable pronunciation. But I am familiar with it, having heard it on the East Coast, influenced by New England.
Otherwise, it's will-yum.
My parents are sticklers for clear enunciation (HUT-ton, not hutt-in, li-bray-re, not li-berry) and they've never made me say William multiple times until I got the three-syllable pronunciation. But I am familiar with it, having heard it on the East Coast, influenced by New England.
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*three syllables, not two
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no ..
William is not typically pronounced Willie-um; I don't actually believe you've never encountered this pronunciation; I think you're just being contrary.
Liam makes as much sense as a nn for William as Bill does.
William is nearly always pronounced Will-yum. Sometimes regional accents make it sound like WEE-yum.
William is not typically pronounced Willie-um; I don't actually believe you've never encountered this pronunciation; I think you're just being contrary.
Liam makes as much sense as a nn for William as Bill does.
William is nearly always pronounced Will-yum. Sometimes regional accents make it sound like WEE-yum.
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WilLIAM - how does Liam not make sense?
Liam is a pretty old Irish nickname, and if you say the name quickly, emphasizing the second syllable, you do get WILL-liam.
As for Bill: You realize it's a rhyming nickname? Just like Bob is for Robert? Rob=Bob, Will=Bill. Created because there were too many people named Robert/Wiliam and they needed to differentiate between the two.
Liam is a pretty old Irish nickname, and if you say the name quickly, emphasizing the second syllable, you do get WILL-liam.
As for Bill: You realize it's a rhyming nickname? Just like Bob is for Robert? Rob=Bob, Will=Bill. Created because there were too many people named Robert/Wiliam and they needed to differentiate between the two.
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I think the point was just that you don't necessarily hear that sound in the name. You hear Will in William, but since the emphasis is on the first syllable you don't really hear Liam the same way. And you hear Rob in Robert but not Bob. The nickname makes sense but it's more than just a part cut out of the full name. Even if you pronounce William with 3 syllables, if you said Liam the way it sounds in William it would be awkward (and vice versa, it would also be awkward if you pronounced William as literally "will Liam").
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I can say William while hearing the Liam part. It's a very subtle difference but it's there.
Nicknames come about in many ways. Rhyming (Bob, Bill), from terms of endearment (Mine Edward, Mine Eleanor become Ned & Nell), from being cutout of names (Liam). There is always reasoning behind a nickname. Stating that a nickname doesn't make sense - no matter how odd - is ignoring history.
Nicknames come about in many ways. Rhyming (Bob, Bill), from terms of endearment (Mine Edward, Mine Eleanor become Ned & Nell), from being cutout of names (Liam). There is always reasoning behind a nickname. Stating that a nickname doesn't make sense - no matter how odd - is ignoring history.
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I don't think saying Liam makes as much sense as Bill is implying that they don't make sense, it's sating they make just make as much sense as each other. And I would put Will on a level 'above' Bill and Liam just in the sense that that exact sound is part of the full name. Maybe Will, then Liam, then Bill. They all make sense but they're not equally intuitive.
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Just so you know, there are people who speak English outside of the USA. Believe it or not, they even speak differently than you.
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Where are you from?
You are altering what Roxstar said. She said the William is typically said with two syllables, so she doesn't accept that you have never heard William pronounced with two syllables.
I have heard William pronounced with two syllables by people from the UK, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and the USA. I'm not sure about Australia. I think I've heard Irish speakers say William with a semivowel/ glide/ semiconsonant, but it didn't stretch to three syllables. In order for you to have never heard William said with two syllables you would have to only listen to media from specific areas. It's possible that you've never met anyone named William from outside your area or seen a film with a William whose name didn't have your regional pronunciation, but it is kind of hard to believe.
You are altering what Roxstar said. She said the William is typically said with two syllables, so she doesn't accept that you have never heard William pronounced with two syllables.
I have heard William pronounced with two syllables by people from the UK, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and the USA. I'm not sure about Australia. I think I've heard Irish speakers say William with a semivowel/ glide/ semiconsonant, but it didn't stretch to three syllables. In order for you to have never heard William said with two syllables you would have to only listen to media from specific areas. It's possible that you've never met anyone named William from outside your area or seen a film with a William whose name didn't have your regional pronunciation, but it is kind of hard to believe.
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Yes Australia is 2 syllables
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Why would someone lie about a name just to be contrary? That doesn't even make sense.
I imagine they could have heard Will-yum on TV or something but since they're used to Will-ee-um the "yum" still registered as 2 complete syllables, especially since people often linger on the "y" sound in Will-yum so that if you're expecting a full "ee" syllable you hear it and if you're not expecting it you don't hear it?
I imagine they could have heard Will-yum on TV or something but since they're used to Will-ee-um the "yum" still registered as 2 complete syllables, especially since people often linger on the "y" sound in Will-yum so that if you're expecting a full "ee" syllable you hear it and if you're not expecting it you don't hear it?
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In England and Australia it most definitely is will-ee-um.
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Prince Will-ee-um?
Interesting. On every BBC production I've heard it sounds like William is two syllables in the UK. Of course the pronunciation used on the BBC may be different from how average people speak.
On other news channels too, it sounds like Prince William is said using two syllables by British people when interviewed. Do people on the street really call him Will-ee-um?
Interesting. On every BBC production I've heard it sounds like William is two syllables in the UK. Of course the pronunciation used on the BBC may be different from how average people speak.
On other news channels too, it sounds like Prince William is said using two syllables by British people when interviewed. Do people on the street really call him Will-ee-um?
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I've literally never heard it as two syllables?? I've even looked up videos to double check, and it's all three syllables
Here's the BBC specific ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS563DYnUXQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7qaiP-CwxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuicikCwMjk
All will-ee-um
Here's the BBC specific ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS563DYnUXQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7qaiP-CwxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuicikCwMjk
All will-ee-um
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As I said elsewhere, it’s a very short sound; it’s easy to miss. Phonetically speaking, though, it is there. In transitioning from the alveolar lateral approximant (/l/) to the palatal approximant (/j/) the mouth produces a brief close front vowel sound (/i/). It’s actually really hard not to do so.
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Yes, I've heard that from some Irish people but isn't that a transitional sound rather than a separate syllable? It is on the syllable boundary rather than a syllable of its own?
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It's easier for me to understand if I think of it as being like the difference between pronouncing Julia as Jul-ee-a versus as Jul-ya.
I say Julia Jul-ee-a, and it's like the way Amphelise is describing saying William. I don't really believe or feel as if I'm saying technically three syllables - however, it is distinct from if I say Julia as two syllables on purpose, Jul-ya. It feels different, and sounds slightly different.
I say Julia Jul-ee-a, and it's like the way Amphelise is describing saying William. I don't really believe or feel as if I'm saying technically three syllables - however, it is distinct from if I say Julia as two syllables on purpose, Jul-ya. It feels different, and sounds slightly different.
This message was edited 10/17/2023, 11:38 AM
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This.
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Not being contrary Will yum
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In British English I hear it with two syllables. Other dialects may differ.
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i agree with previous post
wil-eeum
wil-eeum
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