Mispronounced gun names

I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s not “Loopold” either, that would be the Americanised (simplified) way of saying it.

Isn’t it more something like “Ljewpold” ? This is a German origin name, and “Leu” is more something like “Ljew” or starting with an “l” sound, then soft “j” sound to finish in “ew” like in “ewe”
Back when I sold sporting goods wholesale I asked a couple of reps from the factory how they pronounced it. They said it was definitely "Loo - pold."
 
Back when I sold sporting goods wholesale I asked a couple of reps from the factory how they pronounced it. They said it was definitely "Loo - pold."
I’m sure they did. But in the end those were Americans, hearing from other Americans, who probly heard from another American how to pronounce a distinctly German name.
 
Leupold at one point had the pronunciation spelled out in their catalogue as loo-pold. People have mispronounced it as Lee-o-pold for so long I get the impression that they have given up.
But when I called them, the woman answering said, "Lew-a-pold Stevens"
 
Lapua - In Finnish, and in their factory it is pronounced Lahpwah
See, that's the real problem. If we pronounce it that way, to people who have always, uniformly pronounced it "luh-POOH-ah" we are going to be ridiculed as a know it all, or punched. Same with "sock-oh"...would you rather be explaining it forever to people or just go along with everyone around you. I'm too old to have my underwear pulled over my head over this kind of thing, personally. And I'm not saying "lah-pwah"
 
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sako or (sounding the next 2 out) sayko or socko.... haha
 
I’m sure they did. But in the end those were Americans, hearing from other Americans, who probly heard from another American how to pronounce a distinctly German name.
I’m sure they did. But in the end those were Americans, hearing from other Americans, who probly heard from another American how to pronounce a distinctly German name.
Okay, but Aldo Leupold was an American, so it really doesn't matter how they pronounce it in Germany.
 
Not guns, but always in close proximity to them:
Smid and Bender
Zeiss - almost endless options on this one (Ze-iss, Zeitz, Ziiitz etc etc)

FN
 
I will say, I tend to give people a break because they are at least READING the name to mispronounce it sometimes. Not always but...
 
This raises a question I’ve often had. When do we insist on the native pronunciation vs Americanized for brands and place names.

For instance we generally don't say Par-ee for Paris. But people will get all worked up if you pronounce a French wine incorrectly.

It just has always amused me that we sort of collectively pick and choose which ones we allow to be Americanized.
 
This raises a question I’ve often had. When do we insist on the native pronunciation vs Americanized for brands and place names.

For instance we generally don't say Par-ee for Paris. But people will get all worked up if you pronounce a French wine incorrectly.

It just has always amused me that we sort of collectively pick and choose which ones we allow to be Americanized.

I think you mean anglicised.
 
In France, I have heard many time people pronouncing "Water Bee" for Weatherby !
 

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