If you read the Anne of Green Gables books growing up (or later, too, I guess), I'm just wondering how you pronounced Avonlea in your head? I'm listening to two different recordings (just started) so I can decide which reader I like best and one pronounces it with the first "A" as a long A = AA-von-Lee and the other with a short first "A" --Aaa-von-lee. Naturally, the one that doesn't match how I always imagined it was pronounced is like being slapped every time the reader says it . . .
Curious,
Penn
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This is a walk down memory lane
When I first read these books (I was 12) in my head it was like
Avon (as in the Avon lady) and Leah like the girls name.
Now it's (short a) a-von-lee
The first
The first one is the way I've always said it.
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Well, this Canadian .....
Well, this Canadian pronounces it "Ah-von-lee" with emphasis on the von
ROFL, not like the Avon Lady, at all!
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re: Avonlea
ah-von-lee for me...that's how it was pronounced in the movies/series, so that's probably why I picked that one. Fabulous books! This is the 100th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables, if I'm right...
LOL Avon lady. I always
LOL Avon lady. I always pronounced it with a short a, a-von-lee.
I wonder if I still have my set somewhere.....it'd be nice to revisit with Anne.
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Avonlea
I also pronounce it like Katherine and Lady A. I'm sure that is because of the Anne movies as I have never read the books.
Margie :)
Southerness...
I probably pronounce it Ah-vahn-lee
My favorite of these books is Rilla of Ingleside. I literally read the cover off my first copy.
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Ahvonlee - I was about to ask "is there any other way?"
but then I read the comments
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Another Canadian that chimes in...
..with ah-von-lee ~ or rather, ah-von-lee. That's been the way since I first read the books aeons ago... URK!
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re: Avonlea
Ooh, Rilla is a good one! My other favourite was Anne of Windy Poplars...I loved the stories about her teaching.
Also, the two Story Girl books...even before Road to Avonlea, I loved these.
Another vote for the Avon
Another vote for the Avon lady from Lee.
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ah-VON-lee
Both my sister and I pronounced it, ah-VON-lee.
Nancy
I said it`
I said it in my head several times as to how I'd say it if I were reading it... I always added an 'a' sound to the end. I like it that way I guess. Your comment makes me laugh... I don't listen to books but if I did, man would this irritate me if I had the name in my head differently. In Star wars, which I hear a lot as my kids love it. The first movie(talking the one technically made first) Han was pronounced differently then it is in the last movie and it bugs me every time I hear it.
Oh and I'd go basically for the second pronouciation.
Cole
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The Anne Books
LM Montgomery was a wonderful author. I grew addicted to her books in my tween years. I would spend my paltry little allowance at B. Daltons trying to decide between her books and the latest Babysitter's Club or Nancy Drew. She won at least some of the time....
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I love those old series,
I love those old series, Babysitters Club, Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, The Bobsy Twins. Wow, I think I used to have all of them! Can't believe I don't anymore. Those would have been great to keep.
I think I've always pronounced it with a short "a", sounds like the "a" in bath. Don't remember how it was pronounced on tv though.
Thanks for all the comments.
Since the specials in the '80s, I've pronounced it the way that they did in those shows (the ones with Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth). I don't get the stations that broadcast the other shows but imagine they pronounce it the same way. I looked it up on the internet and of course got nothing definitive. I did find one entry that said Mrs. Montgomery named Avonlea wanting to hint at Avalon. No idea if that's true but that would indicate a short "a" at the beginning.
Here's the thing . . . the narrator doing the better job overall (I listened to the first cassette of both versions) is the one who pronounces it with the long "a" at the beginning. I've gotten used to that. But no one does Anne as well as Megan Follows did. Man, she nailed it. She will always and forever be Anne in my head.
Anyway, I thought that I'd better get back to all of you. I read your comments as they came in but didn't want to influence the discussion. I'm on cassette 5 of 7 cassettes, so you'll see my write-up in a few days. It will probably be longer than the short ones I've been doing this year b/c I want to discuss the audio aspects and all the other things that come into play with a book you've (I've) loved for years when it's read aloud to you (me).
Penn
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