Answer me this American Porsche purists.

[porschecoyote]

Recently got home from Europe vacation. Best part of the trip was day at Porsche museum. Its an amazing place and would recommend it for any and all Porsche lovers bucket list. F.Y.I its not open on Monday.

While there I noticed something very interesting.

As an American, purist or not, it is expected we call the little car made in Stuttgart a Porsche. However for some odd reason we insist on pronouncing it porsch--- A


In fact some of us go blue in the face making this small correction.

What I noticed while at the Porsche museum, listening to my automated tour, talking to the factory workers and employees, is that no one ever called a Porsche a Porsch----A. It seemed to me that most all the time they pronounce it just as it is spelled (Porsche with a silent E). If anything ,and usually while referring to the Dr and the people that are in his family, they would add a bit of exaggeration to the O pronouncing it as pOrsch .

In fact, I never once heard a German, Austrian, or French call it anything but a Porsche. No A sound at all. Some of the Swiss (speaking Swiss German) will add an E sound to the end, as in porschE.

So all you blue in the face. My question to you is if the people building the car, the recorded tour the factory made, the museum guides, the company employees and the rest of Europe call the car made in Stuttgart a Porsche why must the new world call it a Porsch---A??????

[boxster03]

they are all wrong

USA USA USA

[Mikey83835]

Interesting, perhaps call the factory and see how the receptionist pronounces it?

[Techne]

I am sure some native German speakers can chime in here. But, I can say that in German you pronounce every vowel, not matter where it lands in the word. But, I think they give it a more subtle 'eh' at the end rather than our inflected American 'uh' sound at the end. It is part of the cadence of the speech, they are emphasizing the 'Por' part of the word more strongly and letting it tail off at the end. But it is there.

This is called a Schwa, I believe. You will see it in an english dictionary with phonetic spelling as an upside down 'e'

Now, this doesn't mean we all need to be snotty about those who don't pronounce it like we like them to, but I think the argument is still valid.

[80-911SC]

If you are american by birth and English as a first language then pronounce it correctly ....

silent "e"

I sometimes enjoy watching others as i talk about my car or others cars ... you can see their nose roll to the sky just a little bit or you get the twitch in the eye as a little aneurysm pops way down deep ......

Just my opinion so don't blast to hard ... my other car is a Corvette ......

[ShakinJoe]

Great question and ultimately the answer is that it is derived from Italian.

Every time a Ferrari would get passed while they sat lifeless on European streets and race tracks, all could hear the drivers exclaim; PORCH...UGGHH. This smokers cough UGGHH sound was eventually shortened to the similar sounding letter A making it PORSCHA.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by Techne

I am sure some native German speakers can chime in here. But, I can say that in German you pronounce every vowel, not matter where it lands in the word. But, I think they give it a more subtle 'eh' at the end rather than our inflected American 'uh' sound at the end. It is part of the cadence of the speech, they are emphasizing the 'Por' part of the word more strongly and letting it tail off at the end. But it is there.

This is called a Schwa, I believe. You will see it in an english dictionary with phonetic spelling as an upside down 'e'

Now, this doesn't mean we all need to be snotty about those who don't pronounce it like we like them to, but I think the argument is still valid.

Yep, pronounce every vowel. You can put the emphasis elsewhere, I suppose though.

[tazzieman]

I recorded an interview with Klaus Bischof and Walter Rorhl after this year's Targa Tas ; they pronounce Porsche as "sche" but NOT "schuh". Quite subtle.

[66DC]

All the German Porsche YouTube videos say "Porsch-e"

[Geronimo '74]

[donporfi]

In every language it is pronounced different. In Spanish many pronounce it as Porche and Porsch.
I think it really does not matter how you pronounce it but it is important to spell it right
PORSCHE.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Techne

in German you pronounce every vowel

yah! unt otherwise zehr voud not be Ze VOWEL in ze vord!

keel zem! keel zem all!

[71er E]

Originally Posted by RWebb

yah! unt otherwise zehr voud not be Ze VOWEL in ze vord!

keel zem! keel zem all!

....yes and from time to time our right arm wants to rise, but we succesfully fight it down. But back to topic. Not really easy to describe the German language to you guys but i found a good description in the www. So i don´t have to be afraid of bad grammar besides me...

What is the correct pronunciation of Porsche? While the “proper” way to pronounce some German terms in English may be debatable, this isn't one of them. Porsche is a family name, and the family members pronounce their surname PORSH-uh, not PORSH! Same for the car. You don't say NYKE for Nike, so don't be lazy and leave off the e in Porsche! Porsche's U.S. TV commercials pronounce the name correctly and so should you.

[twistoffat]

Okay to end this arguement once and for all. One thing you guys have to understand about the German language is that German Vowels are not pronounced like in English. The Germans actually pronounce an "E" like an "A" as in Apex. With a name like Porsche the e at the end is spoken not like an "A" as in Alpha but tails off like "eh". Its the "Sche" that gets spoken and not the "E". The word splits into POR and SCHE.

Just to confuse you a German "I" is pronounced like an "E" in English. Put the two together and you change the sound. EI is pronounced like EYE and means egg.
Even worse an english "W" is like a German V and a German V is pronounced like an English F.
My advice is just enjoy ze German Cars

[bryvincent]

Originally Posted by twistoffat

Even worse an english "W" is like a German V and a German V is pronounced like an English F.

hmmm..so VW is actually pronounced "Foks-Vagen".

except maybe for the W pronounced like a V, i dont know anything about the german language.

[Geronimo '74]

Folks-Vagen. (Volkswagen= car of the people)

[Reaper930]

While the “proper” way to pronounce some German terms in English may be debatable, this isn't one of them. Porsche is a family name, and the family members pronounce their surname PORSH-uh, not PORSH! Same for the car.

This has been documented and asked over and over in every Porsche forum known to man, call a Dealership and ask if you are unaware.

[tazzieman]

This thread has run its course and should now end in the manner of this clip (& hear how the English say "Porsche")

University Challenge - The Young Ones - YouTube

[Geronimo '74]

Walter says Porsch.... with a very very very faint 'eh' at the end. What he does not do is put the stress the last syllable and sound like an idiot....





notice how the English narrator pronounces the 'eh' much more than our German Walter Rohrl....


If Walter pronounces it like this, it'll be ok, I guess. I'm following his lead.

[71er E]

Originally Posted by Reaper930

While the “proper” way to pronounce some German terms in English may be debatable, this isn't one of them. Porsche is a family name, and the family members pronounce their surname PORSH-uh, not PORSH! Same for the car.

This has been documented and asked over and over in every Porsche forum known to man, call a Dealership and ask if you are unaware.

you´re a good "Googler"....(see my post above)