More French pronunciation help: J-P Brun of Beaujolais

[Robin Garr]

So simple, it seems ... a four-letter, one-syllable name. But it's tricky. The French gargled 'r' followed by the French 'u' followed by the French 'n'.

I don't think I've ever heard anybody knowledgeable say it, but I'm pretty sure it's not "broon."

Anybody who actually knows care to take a shot at explaining how to say it? "B(r)aN" with a gargly R and nasal N?

Here's how I pronounce it:

Vanh Mah-nyee-feek.

[Robin Garr]

Here's how I pronounce it:

Vanh Mah-nyee-feek.

That'll work! From the lack of substantive responses, though, I'm beginning to suspect that I'm not alone in my puzzlement.

Barring actual knowledgeable responses, I'm inclined to bag the gargly R and just go with "br" plus an approximation of the article "un".

Or you could avoid his name entirely and talk about Domaine Terres Dorées.

[Robin Garr]

Or you could avoid his name entirely and talk about Domaine Terres Dorées.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to get a simple answer to a wine question around here.

Hey, Robin, give Joe Dressner a shout -- here's a neat description he helped write about one of Brun's wines:

Terres Dorées FRV 100 NV

This wine is made just like the Cerdon du Bugey, but only from Gamay grapes. This is the second year that Jean-Paul Brun has made this wine and it was an immediate success in France last year.

Many of you are wondering what FRV100 means. Actually, it is a brilliant play on words using phonetic pronunciations understandable to the average consumer.

Here's how it works. The phonetic pronunciation of FRV 100 in English is EFF ARE VEE HUNDRED.

In French, it is EFF ERR VAY SON – in other words EFFERVESCENT!

But if you don't want to go there -- and I certainly understand if you don't -- isn't "Brun" the word "brown" in French, and pronounced like the color?

Just a naive question -- I've only seen J. P. Brun's name in print and never heard his name pronounced.

Regards, Bob

Or you could avoid his name entirely and talk about Domaine Terres Dorées.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to get a simple answer to a wine question around here.

One wave file is worth 1,000 IPA symbols. Go ici, mon ami, and scroll down. Brun is one of the examples.

It might take a while to load, but it loads. I had to click reload a couple to times before it finally got there.

[Robin Garr]

One wave file is worth 1,000 IPA symbols.

Thanks, Gary! (And Bob, too.)

For more instant gratification, here's a direct link to the sound file that contains "un," "lundi" and "brun" on the Oxford page.

Not that my French is all that good, but it sounds like my initial assumption ("br" plus the article "un") was close.

[David M. Bueker]

Or you could avoid his name entirely and talk about Domaine Terres Dorées.

Or you could be like the guys on Grape Radio and mangle the crap out of it and then compliment yourself on fantasic pronunciation.