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Gretchen?
This names' pronunciation is brutalised by English speakers. I have heard that it does not have the 'retch' sound when spoken properly by a German speaker. Can someone give the correct (or as close too) pronunciation. I am considering Margareta and would like to use Greta as the nickname though Gretchen has always fascinated me.
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The German pronuciation is hard to discribe as it has a sound that doesn't exist in English.
(The first E is rather long and open, maybe like in "bed".)
There are two CH-sounds in German, one like in Loch Ness and one that is not shaped down in your throat, but rather between your tounge and the back of your palate and this is the one that appears in GRETCHEN. It's a lot softer (and doesn't sound all that much like a throat desease) and goes with the vowels I (ee) and E (eh like in "bed"). The hard CH goes follows A (ah) O (oh) and U (uh).
The stress like in English is on the first syllable.
You will have to listen to it, I'm afraid ...
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Hey thanks!That pronunciation is much softer than I had anticipated. It is rather lovely!
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