Ukridge

[Calvin]

What ho

Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

[Ian Michaud, TWS]

Post by Calvin
What ho
Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to
spell it). One of those audio book chappies - I can't remember which
one - earned a good deal of scorn from the cognoscenti when he used the
Uck-ridge pronunciation.

Wodehouse himself provided a clue with the magazine title of a Ukridge
yarn, "Ukie Invests in Human Nature". That's the story that was
re-titled "Success Story" when it was collected in the book "Nothing
Serious."

Featherstonehaugh is, of course, pronounced "Fanshawe."

The Mixer

[Swordfish]

Post by Ian Michaud, TWS

Post by Calvin
What ho
Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or  
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to
spell it).  One of those audio book chappies - I can't remember which
one - earned a good deal of scorn from the cognoscenti when he used the
Uck-ridge pronunciation.
Wodehouse himself provided a clue with the magazine title of a Ukridge
yarn, "Ukie Invests in Human Nature".   That's the story that was
re-titled "Success Story" when it was collected in the book "Nothing
Serious."
Featherstonehaugh is, of course, pronounced "Fanshawe."
The Mixer

And how about '' Ukelele''?
Does it also come with a ''you-kelele''?
Or does an ''Uck'' enter there?

Swordfish

[Neil Midkiff]

Post by Swordfish

Post by Ian Michaud, TWS

Post by Calvin
What ho
Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to
spell it).
The Mixer

And how about '' Ukelele''?
Does it also come with a ''you-kelele''?
Or does an ''Uck'' enter there?

No "uck" in sight; the usual English pronunciation is "you-kuh-lay-lee".
But that unstressed second syllable (schwa vowel) leads many people to
misspell the word with an "e" in the second vowel place.

It's really spelled "ukulele", and the native Hawaiian pronunciation is
more phonetic: "oo-koo-lay-lay".

In both cases the main accent is on the third syllable, and the first
syllable gets a minor stress as well.

-Neil Midkiff

[Calvin]

Post by Swordfish

Post by Ian Michaud, TWS

Post by Calvin
What ho
Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or  
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to
spell it).  One of those audio book chappies - I can't remember which
one - earned a good deal of scorn from the cognoscenti when he used the
Uck-ridge pronunciation.

And how about '' Ukelele''?
Does it also come with a ''you-kelele''?
Or does an ''Uck'' enter there?

LOL, But contrast the place-name Uxbridge which is prononuced "ucks",
AFAIK.


Pip pip,
Uncle Woggly

[Calvin]

On Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:13:20 +1000, Ian Michaud, TWS

Post by Ian Michaud, TWS

Post by Calvin
What ho
Does some brainy cove know if Ukridge is pronounced uck-ridge or
yuke-ridge? Or something else entirely?

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to
spell it). One of those audio book chappies - I can't remember which
one - earned a good deal of scorn from the cognoscenti when he used the
Uck-ridge pronunciation.

Many thanks.

Post by Ian Michaud, TWS
Featherstonehaugh is, of course, pronounced "Fanshawe."

Indeed. I found several references to that when I did a search, but none
regarding his surname. The irony!

Pip pip,
Uncle Woggly

[Charles stone-Tolcher]

The audio book chappie you are thinking of is (or was, as he died last year)
Frederick Davidson and he did in some circles get scorned for saying
Uk-ridge but I still liked his recording of the book which of course I have
in my collection. At least Davidson did pronounce Featherstonehaugh
correctly. I did not hear any scorn put upon Jonathan Cecil, who also
recorded this book, when he pronounced Featherstonehaugh as printed. Cecil
did get U-Kridge right and Davidson got Featherstonehaugh right. Even
stevens I think.

Pillingshot

The second alternative (Yuke-ridge, or "You-kridge", as I prefer to spell
it). One of those audio book chappies - I can't remember which one -
earned a good deal of scorn from the cognoscenti when he used the
Uck-ridge pronunciation.
Wodehouse himself provided a clue with the magazine title of a Ukridge
yarn, "Ukie Invests in Human Nature". That's the story that was
re-titled "Success Story" when it was collected in the book "Nothing
Serious."
Featherstonehaugh is, of course, pronounced "Fanshawe."
The Mixer

[Mike Schilling]

Post by Charles stone-Tolcher
The audio book chappie you are thinking of is (or was, as he died
last year) Frederick Davidson and he did in some circles get scorned
for saying Uk-ridge but I still liked his recording of the book which
of course I have in my collection. At least Davidson did pronounce
Featherstonehaugh correctly. I did not hear any scorn put upon
Jonathan Cecil, who also recorded this book, when he pronounced
Featherstonehaugh as printed. Cecil did get U-Kridge right and
Davidson got Featherstonehaugh right. Even stevens I think.

Did they both get "Stanley" right?

[Charles stone-Tolcher]

Oh, absolutely. No problem there.

Pillingshot

Post by Mike Schilling
Did they both get "Stanley" right?

[Chuck C.]

Post by Charles stone-Tolcher
Oh, absolutely. No problem there.
Pillingshot

Did they both get "Stanley" right?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You know, the thing that strikes me about Ukridge is that he requires
a stooge (used to be called a patsy) to do his dirty work for him and
end up in the soup (Corky or Jeremy Garnet). Similarly, if Bertie W.
ever defied his aunts' demands (steal a cow-creamer, steal a painting,
etc.), there would be no story! Sometimes I find myself thinking "Run!
Get away before it's too late!" But of course they never do...despite
past experience.
CC

[Charles stone-Tolcher]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Mike Schilling]

Post by Charles stone-Tolcher
A bit of self preservation there by Bertie though. He knows that if he
refuses to do what his aunt Dahlia wants, he will be banned from
eating Anatole's dinners.
"Aunt Dahlia! this is blackmail."
"Yes, isn't it." She said and beetled off.

Aunt Agatha doesn't blackmail; she just bullies. Bertie's only
strategy for not doing her bidding is to avoid her.

[Charles stone-Tolcher]

And avoid her he does; the cowardly custard. He even legs it to America just
to get beyond Aunt Agatha's tentacles.

Pillingshot (who only fears Mr. Mellish)

Aunt Agatha doesn't blackmail; she just bullies. Bertie's only strategy
for not doing her bidding is to avoid her.

[r***@gmail.com]

Post by Charles stone-Tolcher
I did not hear any scorn put upon Jonathan Cecil, who also
recorded this book, when he pronounced Featherstonehaugh as printed.

I've just finished listening to this book today. I wondered whether Jonathan Ceci's mispronunciation was through ignorance, or whether it was a deliberate attempt to convey in audio format the long convoluted nature of Ukridge's middle name as it would be seen in print. Either way I enjoyed his rendition of the stories.