Rigel pronunctiation?

[Josh Wilson]

My National Audubon Society: Field Guide to the Night Sky says Betelgeuse is pronounced "BET-el-jooze". Nothing for Rigel though...

[sologuitarist61]

I always assumed it rhymes with Nigel

+1

[J_M_Franklin]

Bet El Gese (Pronounced Bet El Geese) is Old Simitic for Place of the God. Many say it is armpit of the giant, but in Semitic language Bet = Place, El is a deity or God, and Gese means belonging too.

Ri Gel (Pronounced Re Guul) is ancient Semitic for and honorable king, it's where we take the world Regal from.

Al Deb Aran (Pronounced Al Da haran) is ancient Semitic for The Eye of Bull)

Du Bhe (Pronounced Dew Bay) is ancient Semitic for Evil One

many know that it was the Arabs who originally gave proper names to the majority of Stars, but these Arabs were the ancient Mesopotamians, Persians and the Assyrians, and most, but not all of the proper names of Arabic origin are in either Semitic (Assyrians) or Ancient Persian

[Josh Wilson]

Bet El Gese (Pronounced Bet El Geese) is Old Simitic for Place of the God. Many say it is armpit of the giant, but in Semitic language Bet = Place, El is a deity or God, and Gese means belonging too.

Might want to check your facts on that one. My book reads that Betelgeuse comes from the Arabic word for "house of the twins". Which makes sense ""Bete-" meaning two. Which makes sense, hence the alphaBET. Bet comes from Beta (, the 2nd letter of the alphabet.

[J_M_Franklin]

Might want to check your facts on that one. My book reads that Betelgeuse comes from the Arabic word for "house of the twins". Which makes sense ""Bete-" meaning two. Which makes sense, hence the alphaBET. Bet comes from Beta ( , the 2nd letter of the alphabet.

Alpha Bet is Ancient Greek for the Greek Letters, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma etc etc..nothing to do with the names of stars or the Semitic Language

See Here..

And here is the old Semitic Alphabet...nothing like it..

[J_M_Franklin]

Made a [removed word] up above in the Post above and cannot edit...

The dark image above is the Hebrew Aleph Bet, (NOT the Semitic/Assyrian as I said (Apologies) which Josh is incorrectly claiming gives the meaning for Alpha bet...(Could a Mod somehow put this into that post please??

Here is the Ancient Semitic/Assyrian Language..

[BinocularSky]

On a serious note:

Does it really matter if you pronounce Rigel as REE-gel or RYE-jell; Spica as SPY-ker, SPICK-a, SPEE-ka, alpha VERGE-in-us or alpha WEER-gin-us? The only people who aren't going to know what you mean are those who make a lifestyle choice of being awkward sods. I think it's sad if people are deterred from verbal discussion because of fear of mispronunciation. In a similar context, I wrote years ago with respect to the Ronchi Test that it is better to be shown how to do the Ron-CHEE test by someone who knows how to do it than the RON-kee test by someone who doesn't.

[AndyH]

On a serious note:

Does it really matter if you pronounce Rigel as REE-gel or RYE-jell; Spica as SPY-ker, SPICK-a, SPEE-ka, alpha VERGE-in-us or alpha WEER-gin-us? The only people who aren't going to know what you mean are those who make a lifestyle choice of being awkward sods. I think it's sad if people are deterred from verbal discussion because of fear of mispronunciation. In a similar context, I wrote years ago with respect to the Ronchi Test that it is better to be shown how to do the Ron-CHEE test by someone who knows how to do it than the RON-kee test by someone who doesn't.

Very true, but I must admit to finding it fascinating to learn where words have 'come from', so to speak.

Andy.

[Treeden]

On a serious note:

Does it really matter if you pronounce Rigel as REE-gel or RYE-jell; Spica as SPY-ker, SPICK-a, SPEE-ka, alpha VERGE-in-us or alpha WEER-gin-us? The only people who aren't going to know what you mean are those who make a lifestyle choice of being awkward sods. I think it's sad if people are deterred from verbal discussion because of fear of mispronunciation. In a similar context, I wrote years ago with respect to the Ronchi Test that it is better to be shown how to do the Ron-CHEE test by someone who knows how to do it than the RON-kee test by someone who doesn't.

No it doesn't.

It is interesting to discover how words and names are derived, but if we understand what we're talking about (or in this case, understand which star we're discussing) then the box has been ticked. Taking exception to one possible pronunciation over another is a bit like saying "My encyclopedia is better than yours".

We're all different and that helps us to learn from each other.

[BinocularSky]

Very true, but I must admit to finding it fascinating to learn where words have 'come from'

It is interesting to discover how words and names are derived,

Agreed; I too find etymology fascinating.

[cantharis]

RYE - GEL

[Tim]

I find them easier to remember if I give them silly names.

Rigel is "wriggle", and to help me recall which star is on top of which in gemini I find it helpful to think of the lower star as part of the anatomy.......

[Black Knight]

I'm going with Nigel. I mean Rigel . Dubhe I pronounce Doobay. And also, for Alphecca I pronounce it alpaca. Because like Tim, I find fun names can be er, fun!

[Moonshane]

I pronounce it R eye gel

[kirkster501]

It is reejell. "Ee" as in "speed" and "jell" as in gel in your hair. That's straight from the Arabic and how they pronounce it there. Steve

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[J_M_Franklin]

Overall we all say any name in a way that is easiest for each of us, I know I say the proper names of stars no different to anyone else, namely Rigel rhymes with Nigel as others have said, and I say Beetlejuice....it doesnt matter in the grand scheme of things as these are not peoples names and they will not be offended.

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[Moonshane]

brings a whole new perspective to the phrase, "oh no. now I'll have to Rigel my hair."

not that I have ever used such a phrase.

[Demonperformer]

Well, I thought it was named after the Domina in Farscape, and that is always pronounced RYE-gel

[AndyH]

Well, I thought it was named after the Domina in Farscape, and that is always pronounced RYE-gel

A quite superb character. Horribly wonderful.

Rygel Dominar XVI: I never run away. I... strategically maneuver.

[Treeden]

A quite superb character. Horribly wonderful.

He had some great lines too:

Dominar Rygel XVI: You certainly look dead to me. I don't know your customs for these situations, not that I care. So, I'll give you the Hynerian ceremony of passage and be done with it. John Crichton, valued friend - now wait a minute, "valued friend" is a bit of a stretch. John Crichton, unwelcome shipmate, may you have safe transport to the hallowed realm. Actually, not our hallowed realm. No, that's for Hynerians. Go find your own hallowed realm. With the ceremony of passage complete, I declare you officially dead, and claim all your possessions for myself.

[Josh Wilson]

On a serious note:

Does it really matter if you pronounce Rigel as REE-gel or RYE-jell; Spica as SPY-ker, SPICK-a, SPEE-ka, alpha VERGE-in-us or alpha WEER-gin-us?

I did say in the first post that one could make the argument that a TomAAto and a TomAYto are the same thing but most people would pronounce it the first way or the way that they think looks correct. Then again, to each his own.

[x6gas]

And English has a ton of words with stems from Greek, Latin etc. but that are correctly pronounced in English with very little recourse to the pronounciation of the stem in the original tongue.

Add to that the Paris vs Pa-ree issue and I am firmly in the realm of being understood is good enough...

[jason.p]

I was reading up about M64 in Coma Berenices and got to reading the mythology. It sounds as though Berenices may have the same derivation as the name Monica which makes the "C" a hard "K" rather than a soft one as in "nice".

Is this correct?

I know it doesn't really matter but I like to try and be true to the derivation of words (if poss)

[cantab]

Rye gel.

Bet ell jews. I think people who call it beetlejuice know it must be wrong and just say it that way anyway.

Dub hay.

Away from the stars, for the longest time I thought a certain name was pronounced "Herm wan".

[SteveNickolls]

Another +1 for Rigel rhyming with Nigel. Wasn't Ben Hur an American film (MGM?) so I doubt they would pronounce Rigel as we do here.

Best wishes for 2013.

Cheers,

Steve