How is Hagia Sophia pronounced in English?

[Serry]

I’ve heard it pronounced either with the initial “H” pronounced or not, and stresses on the next-to-last syllables: (H)AH-ya So-FEE-ah. By visiting Orthodox.
(Strange looks? When our family moved to California from Illinois, we got strange looks for anglicizing city names from Spanish, and for spanishizing Spanish names for schools! People simply aren’t too consistent.)

 

[German_Melkite]

But the question was how to pronounce “Hagia Sophia” in English (presumably in American English). Obviously in Greek or Turkish or Klingon it would be pronounced differently – but the question as “in English.”

The use of pronunciation forms from the original language is (IMHO) pretentious and unjustified. There is an assumption that if the word is said in the same way as the original context that is some how more authentic. And it just isn’t so. When we (Americans) speak of that large former church in Turkey, we have a set of concepts that are distinctly 20th century, Western European, and American in flavor. The Greek, the Turk and the New York might all mean the same physical place – but our associations and deep meanings will be drastically different. It is sophistry to use the “authentic” pronunciation, as if that made the meaning more correct.

In English it probably should be “Holy Wisdom” church/museum. If speaking of the international landmark, it becomes a proper name used in English (so Schwartz is not changed to Black) and the place should be “Hah-gi-ah So-fee-ah.” The Greek pronunciations should be saved for a direct quotation in Greek (and then when translated into English – the version with the “H” sound should be used).

My grandfather came from Deutschland – but my family roots are in Germany.

 

[Formosus]

It depends if you want to pronounce it based on the modern greek or ancient greek.

 

[Nine_Two]

But the question was how to pronounce “Hagia Sophia” in English (presumably in American English). Obviously in Greek or Turkish or Klingon it would be pronounced differently – but the question as “in English.”

The use of pronunciation forms from the original language is (IMHO) pretentious and unjustified. There is an assumption that if the word is said in the same way as the original context that is some how more authentic. And it just isn’t so. When we (Americans) speak of that large former church in Turkey, we have a set of concepts that are distinctly 20th century, Western European, and American in flavor. The Greek, the Turk and the New York might all mean the same physical place – but our associations and deep meanings will be drastically different. It is sophistry to use the “authentic” pronunciation, as if that made the meaning more correct.

In English it probably should be “Holy Wisdom” church/museum. If speaking of the international landmark, it becomes a proper name used in English (so Schwartz is not changed to Black) and the place should be “Hah-gi-ah So-fee-ah.” The Greek pronunciations should be saved for a direct quotation in Greek (and then when translated into English – the version with the “H” sound should be used).

My grandfather came from Deutschland – but my family roots are in Germany.

I think your argument works to a point - who here wouldn’t be amused if someone pronounced “Cyprus” as “Kuprus”, as the Greek properly is pronounced. However the Hagia Sofia is important to such a limited community, and obscure enough outside that community that it probably should be spoken as close to the modern speech of those currently occupying it.

As for Germany vs. Deutschland, they are two different words, with two different etymologies that just mean the same thing.

 

[Formosus]

I think your argument works to a point - who here wouldn’t be amused if someone pronounced “Cyprus” as “Kuprus”, as the Greek properly is pronounced.

It would actually be Kurpos

 

[Nine_Two]

It would actually be Kurpos

You mean Kupros.

You’re right though, I forgot about the latinizing of omicron as u.

 

[Formosus]

Haha wow I misspelled that .

 

[Vico]

How is Hagia Sophia pronounced in English?

Any clearly discernible audio or video clips would also be helpful.

learner.org/courses/worldhistory/soundwindow.html?soundID=95

 

[lon]

learner.org/courses/worldhistory/soundwindow.html?soundID=95

I think this audio clip posted by Vico is probably the best American English pronunciation. The academic pronunciation(s) of Greek used in England and the U.S. is(are) based somewhat on what the ancient (i.e., 5th century BC) pronunciation may have sounded like, as approximated by normal English sounds, and wouldn’t sound out of place in a classroom, for example.

Since New Testament times, Greek probably sounded much more like modern Greek for the most part. For those interested, Robert Browning’s Medieval & Modern Greek is a good short introduction to the subject, and covers Greek pronunciation from the time of Alexander the Great through the modern period.