"Joker"

[W Brewer]

Dzhokhar Anzorovich Tsarnaev

Dumbing down Wikipedia's IPA, <Dzhokhar> reflects a Russian (approximating
Chechen) pronunciation [joe-KHAR], <KH> being like German ach-laut;
anglified [joe-HAR].
Russified <Tsarnaev> [tsahr-NA-yeff] variously anglified: [zar-NA-yev],
even heard an early [Sarnoff]. The patronymic <Anzorovich> identifies the
alleged father, <Anzor>. Black hat Tamerlan [tammer-LANN] (no doubt yearned
to live up to his namesake, Tamerlane 1336-1405, <When I rise from the
dead, the world shall tremble!>)



On Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 1:03 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      "Joker"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Is "Joker" what they're using because an acquaintance from Dzhokhar
> Tsarnaev's Cambridge schooldays said that was the nickname that had
> been bestowed on him?
>
> The New York Times (April 20) gives the pronunciation "joe-HARR",
> which I've been hearing more and more.  (And "tsar-NAH-yev"; and for
> his brother "tam-arr-lawn" --apparently unaccented).  Seems to me
> "Joeharr" is just as easy for Anglos to pronounce -- but perhaps less
> humorous or derogatory (or exalted, for a fan of Batman).
>
> And I'm wondering about the "joe" sound.  Is that what corresponds to
> the sound of the (transliterated, I assume) "Dzho"?  Or is it closer
> to the French "jeux"?
>
> Joel
>
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