Pronunciation of Magus

[Hazelbrook]

removed by hazelbook

[iWitch]

I think you will find its pronounced as per the dictionary's instructions ...

May (as in the month)
Gus (as in the name for a dog or a gust of wind, minus the "t").

[Hazelbrook]

removed by hazelbrook

[kit]

Hi Hazelbrook - yes, iWitch is right. A hard g in the middle with the emphasis on the first syllable. There was a big discussion about this on the forum some time ago but I can't remember which thread. That's the trouble with forums (NB iWitch - fora!!!) isn't it - things end up buried in the past and you can't find them again. Anyway, I hope your group were interested in the book. Bright blessings!

[Hazelbrook]

removed by hazelbrook

[Firecracker]

That is funny because I had been saying it wrong in my head I was saying the MAG part like if you were starting magazine

[iWitch]

There was a big discussion about this on the forum some time ago but I can't remember which thread.

There was indeed and its taken me two days to find it! Here is the thread. See Kit's post dated 15 August 2007.

That's the trouble with forums (NB iWitch - fora!!!)

Aw, thanks for that.

[Hazelbrook]

removed by hazelbrook

[Sujee]

I was saying it May-jus with a soft G - will find it hard to change now, and evern harder to admit that my friend was saying it right all along...! LOL

[cornmother]

Oh groan! Just as we're getting it right, we've got singer DJ Bishi heading for the charts with her song Magus - sounding like May-juice. Perhaps somebody should tell her?
Joy, health, love and peace
Cornmother

[Felicity]

I'm with Sujee: may - JUS. Just like the Tarot card. Don't forget the Magi (pronounced ma - JI) from the Nativity story. xxxx

[cornmother]

Hi Felicity
You beat me to it! I was going to mention Magi (as in The Adoration of the Magi picture). English is a funny old language ('old' being the relative word, with its various roots!). Think about Celtic (as in Keltick) and Celtic (Seltick), the football team - I wince every time I hear that pronounced!
Those of us of a certain vintage will remember John Fowles's book The Magus, and as I remember, it was always referred to with a hard 'g'. May-goose or May-juice - guess we should go with Kit's preferred pronunciation (and keep spreading the word!).
Joy, health, love and peace
CM

[Beantighe]

I haven't heard of John Fowles's book The Magus, but if it's a book, how do we know how 'Magus' was pronounced?

As far as I am aware, 'magus' is one of those funny irregular English words that is pronounced with the 'g' as in 'goat' in the singular, and 'g' as in 'gist' in the plural. So it's 'may-gus' (singular) but 'may-j-eye (plural). Anyway, those are the pronunciations that I use.

Love Beantighe

[Carprimulgidae]

I will be sticking to Kit's version, this is getting too much for me

wonder what it would be in Welsh
Not even going to go down that road, keep it simple

[Lirazel]

As far as I am aware, 'magus' is one of those funny irregular English words that is pronounced with the 'g' as in 'goat' in the singular, and 'g' as in 'gist' in the plural. So it's 'may-gus' (singular) but 'may-j-eye (plural).

Now I'm really confused - whilst reading THE books I was using the soft 'G' as in goat for Magus (as suggested above) but after reading what people said on the forum I tried to change it.

Back to square one me thinks...
x