Anglo mis-stressing

[Laura Goering]

> 	Others, however, make me wonder -- and perhaps some linguist colleagues can
> help out -- is there an overriding principle in the English language or
> culture why this
> butchering is done?

> 	PavLOVa
> 	SharaPOva  (she finally gave in and said, ok, that's my name)

I long thought the tendency for Americans to stress the -OV in  
feminine names, as in the two examples you give, was one such  
overriding principle. But then, at precisely the same time that  
ShaRApova turned into SharaPOva, KuznetSOva mutated into KuzNETZova.  
That one has be baffled.

The other seeming regularity is a tendency to want to stress the -IN  
in feminine names, but not masculine. So people who have no problem  
saying SAfin call his sister SaFEENa.


>
> 	LerMONTov  (I doubt the pronouncers have heard of Learmont)
>

This is a new one on me. My students have no trouble with LERmontov,  
by analogy with their versions of TURgenev and NABokov.
>
> In exasperation, I tell my Anglo speakers, just decide where you want
> to put the stress and
> then move it one to the right.  If you think the stress should go on
> the last syllable, then put
> it on the first.  At least I increase the probablity of getting it right.
>

Not a bad rule of thumb. It really does increase the probability of  
getting it right.

Laura Goering

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