Usual Sunday night debate...

[hippyhoppy]

Watching the Dancing programme and we've had a debate re pronunciation of a name... 'Louis' is French and should be pronouced 'Loo-ee'.. not 'Lewis'.. I'm obviously right.. so the whole panel, the presenters and his family are wrong... Rant over (as the boy has gone upstairs and it's just me and the cat..)

[FredPuli43]

Yes, and Paris should be pronounced Pa-ree. It's a matter of choice for the person whose name it is rather than how it's pronounced in whatever language it originated in.

[mccfluff]

loo-eee for meeeeee

[THECORBYLOON]

Louis Armstrong pronounced his name as Lewis.

[hippyhoppy]

Really Corbs..? I've only ever known him a Lou-eee Armstong..'we have all the time in the world'.. best ever!!!

[FredPuli43]

Extensive, in depth, research [viz. reading the notes to his entry on Wikipedia ] suggests that Mr Armstrong pronounced his name in the French manner, 'Louie', which was how the name was customarily pronounced in Louisiana and Wikipedia gives a quote, from someone who knew him, saying that he said 'Louie'. Confusion is caused because in singing 'Hello, Dolly' he sang 'this is 'Lewis' , Dolly' . Presumably it just seemed better that way in the song.

[THECORBYLOON]

A wee bit more extensive research using the Louis Armstrong museum site shows they have home tape recordings and he called himsel Lewis.