What is the correct way to pronounce Kirchhoff ?

[Geezer]

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"?

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"? I keep hearing the same two pronunciations over and over:

#1 sounds like KIRK HOFF (the preferred pronunciation of the prof who instructed my E&M class)

#2 sounds like KEER SHOFF

Which one is it? I don't want to sound ignorant when I pronounce it.

 

[FrancisZ]

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"? I keep hearing the same two pronunciations over and over:

#1 sounds like KIRK HOFF (the preferred pronunciation of the prof who instructed my E&M class)

#2 sounds like KEER SHOFF

Which one is it? I don't want to sound ignorant when I pronounce it.

Pretty sure no one would begrudge you either way.

Plus, if you think that's bad, then you ought to see the myriad of ways I've heard EULER pronouced. *shivers* OIL-ER (as in Olive Oil-er)

AYE-LER (as in aye, aye Captain)

ALE-ER (as in beer)

and

YULE-ER (which rhymes with Bueller...Bueller...Bueller).

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/ben-stein.jpg

To this day, I'm not sure which is correct.

 

[jhae2.718]

Pretty sure it's "Oiler".

As for Kirchhoff, I don't know, but I've always heard it as kirk-hoff.

 

[Char. Limit]

It's Oiler, as you'll learn if you ask any German.

 

[Frankly]

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"?

Bless you, here's a tissue. Now, what word do you need the correct pronunciation for?

"Kirchhoff"

Heres another tissue. So, what's the word then?

"Kirchhoff"

If we're going to help you with the word you're going to have to stop sneezing. As far as I...I...I... "Kirchhoff" Oh no, now I've caught it! This thread needs to be quarantined before it spreads! A super virus! The end of the world! Noooo!Sorry about that. I think you pronounce it like kerchief, except with an 'o' sound.

 

[jtbell]

#1 sounds like KIRK HOFF (the preferred pronunciation of the prof who instructed my E&M class)

#2 sounds like KEER SHOFF

#2 is closer, but in the first syllable, substitute the short I from #1. That's probably as close as you can get with standard English sounds.

The SH is like the "ch" in German "Ich", the voiceless palatal fricative, which is probably the hardest German sound for English-speakers to master.

 

[Math Jeans]

I go to Caltech and we've got a building named Kirchhoff in which a lot of our classes our held.

For the most part, we pronounce it "Kirkoff". More like the first one.

 

[phinds]

He pronounced it keer-koff when he was alive but he's dead now so he won't mind if you get it wrong.

 

[FrancisZ]

It's Oiler, as you'll learn if you ask any German.

Yeah well (I'm just saying), my Siberian professor always pronounced it Ale-er. Of course, he also used to say "mattresses" when meaning "matrices;" and "fuk-us" instead of "focus."

One day he ACTUALLY said out loud to our class: "You all need to fuk-us on the mattresses." No lie.

Incidentally, I'm of German ancestry (they came to the United States in the early 20th Century), but don't know a word of it. Sadly, I'm not even sure actually how to pronounce my last name: Ziegler.

Zeeeeegler?

Zigler?

Zyyyygler?

 

[Char. Limit]

Your last name would be... pronounced as if it were spelled Zeegler. Trust me.

 

[arildno]

The SH is like the "ch" in German "Ich", the voiceless palatal fricative, which is probably the hardest German sound for English-speakers to master.

That's your fault; it is a very easy sound to produce.

The Germans aren't very skilled at languages, either, they cannot, for example, make a proper, Norwegian "u" (and neither can you Anglos)

 

[Femme_physics]

Same like in Hebrew we pronounce the letter "heit" in our alphabet! You guys lack the phlegm power! :)

 

[jtbell]

Zeeeeegler?

Tseeeeegler.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I go to Caltech

My favorite college.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"? I keep hearing the same two pronunciations over and over:

#1 sounds like KIRK HOFF (the preferred pronunciation of the prof who instructed my E&M class)

#2 sounds like KEER SHOFF

Which one is it? I don't want to sound ignorant when I pronounce it.

Neither. It's "Keerch Hoff", where the "ch" is pronounced as in the German "Ich". By the way, it means "cherry farm".

 

[arildno]

Neither. It's "Keerch Hoff", where the "ch" is pronounced as in the German "Ich". By the way, it means "cherry farm".

That would be Kirschhof, not Kirchhof.

Kirchhof means church-yard, i.e, grave-yard.

Unless it is a germanization of a Slavic name like Kyrzcov or something like that (in which case it means, possibly, "son of Charles").

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I see. I shouldn't translate before breakfast.

 

[arildno]

I see. I shouldn't translate before breakfast.

Have a cherry, that breaks your fast nicely!

 

[Ouabache]

Same like in Hebrew we pronounce the letter "heit" in our alphabet! You guys lack the phlegm power! :)

I don't know, there are many in the states who can pronounce the ch in chet, especially the הגולים

What is the correct way to pronounce "Kirchhoff"?

I have also heard it pronounced... ker' chof (ch as in chief as Frankly also mentioned).
Cannot say anyone of those mentioned are incorrect, they are just different pronunciations.

 

[Proton Soup]

I have also heard it pronounced... ker' chof (ch as in chief as Frankly also mentioned).
Cannot say anyone of those mentioned are incorrect, they are just different pronunciations.

this is the way i heard it in alabama, from a guy with a very similar name.

 

[KingNothing]

Honestly if you do pronounce it in the correct German way, people will think you're weird.

 

[arildno]

Honestly if you do pronounce it in the correct German way, people will think you're weird.

In Germany as well??

We Norwegians dutifully pronounce it in the correct German way, is that WRONG?