As a poultry enthusiast married to an exhibitor (who knows way more than me!), I've learned that getting breed names right is important. Whether we're talking about showing birds or simply enjoying our feathered friends, correct pronunciation shows respect for the breeds and their histories. Much like saying "rooster" where the correct term is "cock" - we all want to use the correct words, and to say them correctly.
I recently had just such an experience while working on some software for my wife's exhibition poultry website. She gently corrected me when I pronounced the "Narragansett" variety of turkeys as Narrag-An-set – much to my embarrassment, she said it was actually Nair-Uh-Gan-Set.
Narragansett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4g05rYi4go
This little exchange sparked an idea: what if we compiled a list of commonly mispronounced breed and variety names? It's time to set the record straight and share what we've learned with fellow poultry enthusiasts. So, without further ado, let's get cracking!
Easy Name Pronunciation (That Look Like They Should Be Hard)
Sometimes it's the simple things that trip us up. Here are a few breeds that might seem to have easy pronunciation but have a twist:
- Araucana (Ah-ROO-kah-nah) : I initially mispronounced the ROO part as RAH, but my wife corrected me...again.
- Embden (Em-den) : A French breed name that might puzzle non-French speakers. Leave it to the French to come up with a silent "B"!
- Exchequer (Ex-CHEK-er) : An American Serama variety with a unique name rooted in finance. This English word is a synonym for "treasury".
Tricky Names - The Meat-and-Tubers (Potatoes)
These are the ones that will put your pronunciation to the test. Pay attention!
- Belgian Bearded d'Anver (Don-vair) and d'Uccle (Dook-luh) : French breed names require some background and attention to detail.
- These names come from the French language, where "d'" is a contraction of "de," meaning "of." So, d'Anver literally means "from Antwerp," while d'Uccle means "from Uccle."
- d'Anver - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_eHwcETdps
- d'Uccle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsjtG9cFKnw
- Chantecler (Shon-teh-clair) : This breed name comes from the French words for "to sing" or "to crow," and "clear."
- Crevecoeur (Krev-koor) : A French breed name that translates to "broken heart." Who knew poultry breeds could be so dramatic?
How Sure am I of the Pronunciation?
These French breed names are being used using the French words. If we're using the original French words, we should use the French pronunciation. If you think I'm wrong, ask a French speaker to pronounce it for you - that's what I did.
That Can't be All!
This article is just a starting point – we've only scratched the surface of commonly mispronounced breed names. If you're an exhibitor or breeder, chances are you have your own list of tricky names that always seem to trip up newcomers (and sometimes old-timers too!). Do us a favor and share your favorite examples by sending us a message and maybe we'll write a sequel!