Re: Number of syllables in the name "Neil"

[Dr. Jai Maharaj]

In article <op.x33i5...@red.lan>,
"Tough Guy no. 1265" <n...@spam.com> posted:
>
> How many syllables are in the name Neil
> and why? My friend is called Neil and
> disagrees with me over whether it's one or two.

One syllable. As to why, check this out:

5 Ways to Count Syllables

http://www.howmanysyllables.com/howtocountsyllables

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.jai-maharaj

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 22:25:53 +0100, Dr. Jai Maharaj <alt.fan.j...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

> In article <op.x33i5...@red.lan>,
> "Tough Guy no. 1265" <n...@spam.com> posted:
>>
>> How many syllables are in the name Neil
>> and why? My friend is called Neil and
>> disagrees with me over whether it's one or two.
>
> One syllable. As to why, check this out:
>
> 5 Ways to Count Syllables
>
> http://www.howmanysyllables.com/howtocountsyllables

I have read that. Neil has two distinct vowel sounds. Nee, followed by ull. If you watch someone saying the word Neil, you will see their mouth changing shape as they progress to the next vowel sound, and when you say it yourself, you feel your tongue hitting the roof of your mouth as if there were a Y in the middle of the word. Kneel is pronounced identically to Neil. Kneeling has two syllables, one for the kneel section, and one for the ing. But you do not pronounce kneel by saying kneeling and just cutting off the ing. If you recorded the word kneeling on a taperecorder, then blanked off the ing, it would sound completely wrong, as a syllable is missing.

--
Gary Glitter has said if he gets executed he wants cremating and his ashes putting in an etch-a-sketch, so the kids can still play with him!

[Dr. Jai Maharaj]

In article <op.x33ks...@red.lan>,

"Tough Guy no. 1265" <n...@spam.com> posted:
>

> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted"

>
> > In article <op.x33i5...@red.lan>,
> > "Tough Guy no. 1265" <n...@spam.com> posted:
> >>
> >> How many syllables are in the name Neil
> >> and why? My friend is called Neil and
> >> disagrees with me over whether it's one or two.
> >
> > One syllable. As to why, check this out:
> >
> > 5 Ways to Count Syllables
> >
> > http://www.howmanysyllables.com/howtocountsyllables
>
> I have read that. Neil has two distinct vowel sounds.
> Nee, followed by ull. If you watch someone saying the
> word Neil, you will see their mouth changing shape as
> they progress to the next vowel sound, and when you say
> it yourself, you feel your tongue hitting the roof of
> your mouth as if there were a Y in the middle of the
> word. Kneel is pronounced identically to Neil. Kneeling
> has two syllables, one for the kneel section, and one for
> the ing. But you do not pronounce kneel by saying
> kneeling and just cutting off the ing. If you recorded
> the word kneeling on a taperecorder, then blanked off the
> ing, it would sound completely wrong, as a syllable is
> missing.

Please see:

http://www.howmanysyllables.com/words/neil

But yes, there are people who pronounce it "nee-ull".
It's English after all, so pretty much anything goes.

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

http://tinyurl.com/JaiMaharaj

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

It is always pronounced like this https://youtu.be/qnBWee7yUx8?t=8s in the UK and the US, which has two distinct syllables. Show me a sound recording of any other pronunciation.

--
What did God say when he made the first black man? "Damn, I burnt one."

[bill van]

In article <op.x33m2...@red.lan>,

Four of them, right here:

http://forvo.com/word/neil_young/#en
--
bill

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

Those are the same as my example. They are all saying nee-yull.

--
On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said,
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights.
This is for your comfort, and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."