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mehndi

English translation: May-hen-Dee

02:16 Dec 19, 2005
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / pronunciation
English term or phrase: mehndi
how do you prnounce it?
lynne
Selected answer:May-hen-Dee
Explanation:
.
Selected response from:

Zeinab Asfour
Jordan
Local time: 12:05
Grading comment
Thank you!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2men dee
Will Matter
5 +1May-hen-Dee
Zeinab Asfour
4 +1may-HEN-thee
Java Cafe
5 -1henna
Gurudutt Kamath


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
men dee


Explanation:
"Men" like "men & women", "di" like the letter "D".

Will Matter
United States
Local time: 02:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Balasubramaniam L.: More correctly, the "di" is pronounced like the Old English pronoun "thee" is pronounced.
48 mins
  -> Thank you.
disagree  Gurudutt Kamath: Sorry, but this is not the pronunciation in India.
1 hr
  -> I didn't say it was. Besides, there is more than one way to pronounce this in India, I can provide references. Also, I believe asker is from US & this IS the way it's pronounced here. If I pronounced it any other way no one would know what I meant.
agree  Elizabeth Lyons: I see Gurudutt's point, but in the USA, this is indeed the way it is pronounced. To be understood in non-Hindi English speaking countries, we could pronounce it this way.
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
8 hrs
  -> Thank you very much.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
henna


Explanation:
me (sort of like may) he (sort of like hen without the n, the n is in the next syllable) ndi (n sound and di, sort of like thee with a soft d).

I am not sure whether this will make sense. Incidentally, the earlier pronunciation given seems to be an anglicised version. I am providing you the Indian pronunciation.

There is a song in a Sharukh Khan film (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge), you can listen to in on the web perhaps, the song goes " Mehndi laga ke rakh na".

Suggest you go to some song sites and look for songs with Mehndi.

Proz -- this GREAT, GREAT site -- perhaps should provide a facility to speak the sounds.

Best wishes

Gurudutt Kamath

Gurudutt Kamath
India
Local time: 14:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in HindiHindi

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Elizabeth Lyons: I truly do not know how it is pronounced in India, so I cannot accurately agree or disagree--although I assume you know! It is a dilemma as to whether to use accurate pronunciation in "foreign" countries and not be understood in so doing. : )
22 mins
disagree  Will Matter: "Mehndi" is never pronounced "henna" regardless of which country you're in & asker specifically asked for pronunciation help. I know how this is pronounced in Hindi but no one here says it that way. Welcome to ProZ.
5 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
may-HEN-thee


Explanation:
. . is closest to the correct pronunciation, IMO. The accent is on HEN . . wlthough the E is a very short one. . . perhaps, may-HIN-thee is closer.

No reason, why that cannot be the accepted pronunciation in Western (or other Eastern) countries.

Java Cafe
Local time: 04:05
Native speaker of: Native in BengaliBengali, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Will Matter: Except for the fact that most people aren't trained linguists, have little or no interest in Indian phonology & *don't* pronounce it that way. If I ask someone "What's that?" it's a rare, rare individual who will answer anything other than "men dee".
3 hrs
  -> TY 4 keeping ur comment 'neutral'. IMO, it doesn't take phonologists to use words like so. There are many French words in English that are pronounced in either an Anglicized or the authentic form. Sometimes, those with refined tastes prefer the latter.
agree  PRAKASH SHARMA: mehndi apna rang dikha rahi hai :)). Mehndi is showing it's magic here in this page even :))
8 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
May-hen-Dee


Explanation:
.

Zeinab Asfour
Jordan
Local time: 12:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ArabicArabic
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  PRAKASH SHARMA: this is also acceptable!
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thank you :)
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