We've talked a little bit about the pronunctiation of some Turkmen words in other threads here.
Since, things have slowed a bit in our engsi conversation, this might be a place to mention two more English versions of Turkmen words that I, for one, appear to have been mispronouncing, as I followed what seems to be frequent practice among Turkmen collectors and authors.
The first of these words is spelled "Salor."
I was trained, as I entered the world of rugs to say "SaLURE," starting with a strong "S" as in "Sally" and with the accent on the second syllable which is pronounced like the word "lure" despite the "lor" spelling. While working with Chris Walter, who is fluent in Turkmen, he mentioned that he has never heard a Turkmen pronounce "Salor," as I did, that is "SaLURE." He said that Turkmen universely say "THALore," lisping the initial "S" and accenting the first syllable. I have not had a chance to ask Peter Andrews about this but I expect that Chris is correct. I think I do remember Peter saying once that some "S" sounds are lisped by Turkmen.
The second word, that seems frequently to be pronounced differently by most Turkmen than the most usual U.S. usage is "Tekke." We tend to say "TEKKey." Ms. Meredova, the Ersari lady, said that the correct Turkmen pronounciation of this word is "tekKAY." I have heard some American collectors use this latter pronounciation but it has always seemed affected to me. Somehow, inappropriately "French-i-fied" so to speak. Apparently, though, it is correct.
Now just to permit us to feel OK no matter how we pronounce these two words (and perhaps others still to be discovered), someone once asked why it is that particular Turkmen words are often pronounced so very differently even by different native-speaking Turkmen. Some Turkmen wag has responded, that it depends largely on the number of teeth your grandmother had when she taught you to speak.
THALore, THALore. I'll try to get it.
Regards,
R. John Howe
R word in them. L
