Name Pronunciation Filter (Golczynski)

November 10, 2007 12:09 PM

Golczynski - I will be reading this name during a service of remembrance tomorrow for fallen soldiers and want to make certain I get it right. Thanks for the help.
posted by stuboo to writing & language (14 comments total)

I'd say "Goal-szin-ski"
posted by nitsuj at 12:10 PM on November 10, 2007

You need to check with the family if possible, since there will be more than one way to say that, and it's just the sort of thing that ends up with two or more different versions within or across families.

But if I had to, I'd guess "goal JIN skee" which is pretty much what Nitsuj said, just a bit harder in the middle. It won't very wrong.
posted by rokusan at 12:39 PM on November 10, 2007

(Won't be very wrong, I meant.)
posted by rokusan at 12:40 PM on November 10, 2007

I would pronouce it "Goal-chin-ski" (the "cz" like "czech"), but I totally agree with rokusan that you check with the family if you can.

They are probably used to having their name butchered (as I am with mine) and will probably really appreciate the fact that you ask.
posted by bitteroldman at 12:43 PM on November 10, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

In Polish it would be goal-CHIN-ski, but presumably the family has Americanized the name. I'd bet on goal-ZIN-ski, but if you want to be sure, call a radio station and ask to talk to the news desk—they're bound to have a list of pronunciations of people in the news.
posted by languagehat at 12:44 PM on November 10, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

The proper pronunciation would actually not be 'goal' but more like 'goa', since it's probably the english version of Gołczyński. With the L, I'd pronounce it goal-chin-skee.
posted by jedrek at 12:45 PM on November 10, 2007

Accent on the second syllable, if you choose to pronounce the Polish way.
posted by migurski at 12:45 PM on November 10, 2007

But if I had to, I'd guess "goal JIN skee"

Definitely not.
posted by languagehat at 12:45 PM on November 10, 2007

I defer to jedrek on the Polish pronunciation (I didn't realize it had the ł), but obviously it's not said that way by the American family.
posted by languagehat at 12:46 PM on November 10, 2007

My only "expertise" comes from growing up in a heavily Polish/Russian/Czech neighborhood, where names like "Naguszewski"and "Litwinowicz" were the norm. Had this person been one of my schoolmates, we would've pronounced his last name "Goal-ZIN-ski."
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:03 PM on November 10, 2007

Ask family if possible. and if not, ask anyone who speaks the language. I have worked with folks who looked like Majewski, and it was pronounced Mach-a-ef'ski. (That's approximate.)
posted by unrepentanthippie at 1:42 PM on November 10, 2007

I would assume that the departed soldier in question here is the same as the one mentioned in this article a couple days ago. Contact information for the author is listed on this page. If you are unable to contact the family, I would contact him.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 3:23 PM on November 10, 2007

My maiden name ends in "-czak" -- the proper Polish pronunciation is -check ... the Americanized version, -zak. I'm in agreement with above posters that the "correct" pronunciation of the name in question is goal-CHIN-skee, but the family has likely adopted (and uses) goal-zin-skee.
posted by roundrock at 5:40 PM on November 10, 2007

But if I had to, I'd guess "goal JIN skee"
Definitely not.

Duly challenged, I walked down the hall, and based on two different -czynski neighbors (well, one is a -czynska), that's very certainly the closest I can get without IPA. Much closer to "jin" (or gin, the drink) than zhin, zin, sin, chin, etc.

Maybe it's an NYC thing.
posted by rokusan at 9:22 AM on November 11, 2007