tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post5429398313694863619..comments2024-03-15T14:47:21.170-04:00Comments on Lemon Gloria: How do you pronounce sauna?Lemon Gloriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07280085058516960260noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-79291584750157140992014-02-13T10:18:18.863-05:002014-02-13T10:18:18.863-05:00I've always said saw-na. My fiancee and her fa...I've always said saw-na. My fiancee and her family (all from the iron range areas) all say sow-na and are very militant about it... *shrug* earltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03870042555135648724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-38051116718818174592011-10-11T22:10:03.693-04:002011-10-11T22:10:03.693-04:00You are right. My relatives are Finnish, live in ...You are right. My relatives are Finnish, live in Finland, and each and every one of them has a sauna in their homes (even the retired school teachers who live in an apartment in Heinola). They pronounce it "SOW-na". Sauna is a word of ancient Finnish origin, so the Finns win in terms of how to pronounce it. Stand tall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-88920495263019788852011-10-06T21:31:09.540-04:002011-10-06T21:31:09.540-04:00I'm from Minnesota. It's sow-na. Saunas ar...I'm from Minnesota. It's sow-na. Saunas are a Finnish invention, the Fins pronounce it sow-na. Saw-na is just a butchering of the word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-76203874033042252072011-09-04T12:00:57.470-04:002011-09-04T12:00:57.470-04:00I took Finnish lessons in highschool. It is one o...I took Finnish lessons in highschool. It is one of the easiest languages to learn, pronunciation-wise. And the "au" is pronounced as "ow". Just like the Finnish name "Aulis" is pronounced "Ow lees"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-1670050598100191262011-07-14T11:26:23.757-04:002011-07-14T11:26:23.757-04:00Most pronounciations are considered "correct&...Most pronounciations are considered "correct" if pronounced using the locally accepted pronounciation. So in Minnesota, where my parents were from, you would be correct to prounounce it "sow-na". In Texas, where I grew up, I heard "saw-na". I tended to use the former, when visiting relatives, the later, when home. <br />Now where I live, in a town spelled Kearney, locals pronouce the city "Kar-nee"; however, visitors often say "Keer-ne". I suppose both pronounciations are correct, it's just that you know who the "tourists" are depending on the venacular. Hope this helps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-44248959087239082452011-06-15T05:45:01.518-04:002011-06-15T05:45:01.518-04:00I lived in Northern Minnesota my whole life, aroun...I lived in Northern Minnesota my whole life, around Finnish people. We pronounced it SOW-na. Then I moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to Houghton, like Kate, where I indeed verify that the locals with their Finnish heritage, pronounce it SOW-na. It is a borrowed word. If you want to say SAW-na, you have to start saying "Tor-till(as in plowing)-uh" for tortilla. People still can't pronounce jalapeƱo.Lee Andersonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-68561838872900684132011-05-11T23:47:06.714-04:002011-05-11T23:47:06.714-04:00One more Finnish-Canadian chiming in, it is most d...One more Finnish-Canadian chiming in, it is most definitely SOW-na. In Finnish, 'a' is always pronounced 'ah', 'u' is always pronounced 'ooh' (without exception!), put it together, you get a 'sauna'. SAW-na would be spelled saana in Finnish, and doesn't mean anything as far as I know (auto-translation gives news?).<br /><br />In other words, Finnish spelling makes sense! The grammar, not as much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-81835131589312988682011-04-20T21:39:12.098-04:002011-04-20T21:39:12.098-04:00I spent my childhood in Washington State. Every W...I spent my childhood in Washington State. Every Wednesday night was sauna night (pronounced SOW-NA). All the Finnish people called it that, and I was surrounded by them. I only seem to hear it pronounced correctly when with Finnish people. Everyone else calls it saw-na. Drives me nuts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-47438051046227725182011-03-13T01:18:38.425-05:002011-03-13T01:18:38.425-05:00Okay,this is a pet peeve for me.You are correct,yo...Okay,this is a pet peeve for me.You are correct,your boyfriend is wrong.It is a Finnish word.I am Finnish,my father spoke Finnish before English and it is pronounced Sow-nah.So you in Minneapolis are wrong.I'm from Minnesota too and it irks me every time I hear someone pronounce it Sawna.I don't care what any dictionary says as it is a word from origins in Finland.Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-31215628104898057772010-11-15T14:14:40.670-05:002010-11-15T14:14:40.670-05:00I'm from Thunder Bay, Ontario where the most F...I'm from Thunder Bay, Ontario where the most Finnish people outside of Finland live and all the Finnish people I grew with pronounce it SOW-nah. I was always told that Finnish doesn't use the "ow" combination in their language so the sound is mimicked with the "au" spelling but that could be hearsay. I've heard many people pronounce it SAW-nah but they're usually not Finnish people and since it's a Finnish word...well I just stick with SOW-nah.Amanda Grinsteadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08486052571995903905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-22384530653663368742010-03-14T03:33:32.467-04:002010-03-14T03:33:32.467-04:00Nice post and this mail helped me alot in my colle...Nice post and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you as your information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-12777593014932265682009-12-26T23:28:20.703-05:002009-12-26T23:28:20.703-05:00Have Nick take a trip to Finland and pronounce it ...Have Nick take a trip to Finland and pronounce it his way!! See what happens- the Finns will have no idea what he will be talking about!! Mary Kay has said it all! Sow-nuh is ready- is one of the best phases ever.Chef Erikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17050275113318989926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-27136162039108173302009-12-18T20:47:53.881-05:002009-12-18T20:47:53.881-05:00I'm from the U.P. of Michigan, an area that is...I'm from the U.P. of Michigan, an area that is rich in Finnish culture and home to a large number of Finnish Americans, of which I am one. Growing up we had a sauna (pronounced SOW-nuh) and took sauna (SOW-nuh) at least once a week. My grandma (born in Finland) also had a SOW-nuh, as did most of my relatives. I live about 11 miles from Finlandia University (formerly known as Suomi College) located in Hancock, Michigan, a community which celebrates its Finnish heritage with street signs labeled in both Finnish and English. In our area we cringe when we hear someone say SAW-nuh, and every time we hear someone in a movie or on a t.v. show say SAW-nuh, we usually blurt out SOW-nuh, not SAW-nuh, hoping beyond hope that someday the rest of the world will learn the correct Finnish pronunciation.Mary Kaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-75410585828548429302009-05-06T15:05:00.000-04:002009-05-06T15:05:00.000-04:00Sow-na. Definitely Sow-na. The Finns invented th...Sow-na. Definitely Sow-na. The Finns invented the things, they get their choice of pronunciation. Not their fault if some foreigner messed it up down the line and got a wrong pronunciation accepted by way of common usage. ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-23056324456585383792009-02-13T17:38:00.000-05:002009-02-13T17:38:00.000-05:00It's not just a "Minnesota thing". I am a second g...It's not just a "Minnesota thing". I am a second generation Finlander. As such I speak fluently in Finnish and I can assure you it is most definetely pronounced SOW-NA and NOT SAW-NA!!! I get extremely offended when it is not pronounced correctly!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-91134345441038294732008-12-15T20:09:00.000-05:002008-12-15T20:09:00.000-05:00I like most of the rest of the Minnesotan commente...I like most of the rest of the Minnesotan commenters, say SOW-na, but I wouldn't take pronunciation lessons from me because you should totally hear the way I say puma. It's ridiculous, and I have no justification for it.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00893347878238444805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-69183775630183272752008-12-15T11:21:00.000-05:002008-12-15T11:21:00.000-05:00sorry girl, gotta go with Nick on this one. your ...sorry girl, gotta go with Nick on this one. <BR/>your pronunciation sounds straight out of Minnesowta : )Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-3627953492486991222008-12-15T10:11:00.000-05:002008-12-15T10:11:00.000-05:00www.merriam-webster.comGo to this website, it pron...www.merriam-webster.com<BR/><BR/>Go to this website, it pronounces the words for you, so you can hear the proper pronunciation, I use it all the time, mostly to prove I am right :)<BR/><BR/>Sorry to say according to Merriam-Webster, Nick is right on this one.<BR/><BR/>I am very good friends with someone that was raised in Minnesota and he pronounces words very differently sometimes so I think that probably has alot to do with this.RondaMariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13373536834196068834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-29652519534182360012008-12-15T09:44:00.000-05:002008-12-15T09:44:00.000-05:00Yeah, I've always said it 'saw-na', as well. =-) ...Yeah, I've always said it 'saw-na', as well. =-) In the end, so long as you get to be <I>in</I> one, does it really matter?!?Ryanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06535463704571035144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-87132796770195747872008-12-15T09:34:00.000-05:002008-12-15T09:34:00.000-05:00I have to side with you. When I lived in Sweden, ...I have to side with you. When I lived in Sweden, we pronounced it "sow-na".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-54151818122077620782008-12-15T09:13:00.000-05:002008-12-15T09:13:00.000-05:00This is the joy of regional dialects.This is the joy of regional dialects.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-28201184682025800332008-12-15T08:57:00.000-05:002008-12-15T08:57:00.000-05:00The nordics pronounce it Sow-na (or, sah-oo-na). A...The nordics pronounce it Sow-na (or, sah-oo-na). Americans say Saw-nuh. Funnily enough, in spanish and portuguese it's pronounced sow-na.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-25980037062832694532008-12-15T02:45:00.000-05:002008-12-15T02:45:00.000-05:00i say saw-na and i'm from baltiomre. never heard ...i say saw-na and i'm from baltiomre. never heard it any other way! i should ask some swiss how they say it.mrsmachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09490199234876752380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-20951114165852061122008-12-14T23:29:00.000-05:002008-12-14T23:29:00.000-05:00I used to hang out with a bunch of Finns (and let ...I used to hang out with a bunch of Finns (and let me tell you, the Finns love their sauna) and they pronounced it SOW-na. So I think it's cool. European, in fact. And that makes it triple cool.Dr. Bad Asshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694462361265180016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117136912052729666.post-55342409564454546202008-12-14T22:44:00.000-05:002008-12-14T22:44:00.000-05:00I'm with the lovely Brett and lovely Lemmy: SAW-na...I'm with the lovely Brett and lovely Lemmy: SAW-na. Of course I could ask the receptionist in my office tomorrow. She's from the North Pole, aka Minnesota and get her opinion.FoggyDewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07934197854661226301noreply@blogger.com