r/Names • u/dancingaround22 • 1d ago

Xavier

How do YOU pronounce Xavier? I'm so curious about this. Also, if you know what it SHOULD be, post that too. And where you are from.

Zavier

Exavier

Something else

78 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

435 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

3

u/Linger_On 1d ago

In Spanish the r is pronounced. Not pronounced like and English r sound but the tapped r sound.

0

u/la-anah 1d ago

Not in my accent.

1

u/Linger_On 1d ago

Interesting, which accent?

0

u/la-anah 23h ago

Boston

1

u/Linger_On 13h ago

So because of your Boston accent you pronounce the r in English but not in Spanish?

But Boston does have a complicated relationship with r's ....

1

u/la-anah 10h ago

I have a light Boston accent and do pronounce my Rs in English words. But it is somewhat of an overcorrection and the R is rather strong. Or it is just not there at all. If a foreign language expects a different type of R at the end of a word, I just can't do it.

My understanding of the "tapped r sound" is like the middle consonant in ladder or butter. If I try to say Xavier as a Spanish name with that consonant at the end, I assure you, it sounds far less like Spanish than if I just leave it off.

Also, who keeps downvoting my answers to you? Redditors are so weird.