Leh-chay

 

try this

http://www.spanishdict.com/a/s/leche-s.wav

 

I pronounce it pretty much like the link yellow pansy provided, put with an american accent.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse I pronounce it pretty much like the link yellow pansy provided, put with an american accent.

me too, lol

 

lech ay like the spanish pronunciation. Most people I know say Lay chay.
Wendi

 

"Lay-chay" is a better indication of the proper Spanish pronunciation (as demonstrated in the link above), but of course since it's the group's name, I suppose the group gets to determine how it's said (a la Buena Vista, a town in VA, which is said byoonah vihstah by the locals....cringe).

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squrrl "Lay-chay" is a better indication of the proper Spanish pronunciation (as demonstrated in the link above), but of course since it's the group's name, I suppose the group gets to determine how it's said (a la Buena Vista, a town in VA, which is said byoonah vihstah by the locals....cringe).

Squrrl, I had to laugh reading this - I used to work at a camp in Buena Vista, and that was always the example I'd use to people of terrible local pronunciation. I also learned to correct people, though, who pronounced it in the correct Spanish, after having so many locals explain to me that was NOT the name of their town

.
I currently live in Illinois, and I think Des Plaines tops even Buena Vista for bad local pronunciation, but somehow it's SO removed from the original French that it doesn't bother me as much as BV's name did.
And yes, I agree that "lay-chay" is the best indication of how leche should be pronounced, if you want to stay true to the Spanish....

 

Since I am french I tend to pronounce it leh-sh (la leche league, isn't that french?).

 

I wonder this all the time! Everyone says it different. I say Lesh. I've heard people say everything under the moon including Lee Chee, and I tried really hard not to giggle, but then realized I don't actually know how to pronounce it either.

 

Quote:

In searching for a name for our new organization, we Founders were struck by the importance placed on breastfeeding by early Spanish settlers in America. In 1598, they dedicated a shrine to "Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto" ("Our Lady of Happy Delivery and Plentiful Milk"). The words "happy delivery and plentiful milk" spoke profoundly of yearnings that are common to many mothers. Like women of old, we rejoiced in breastfeeding our babies and wanted to share our newfound knowledge with others. Even though our name came from a religious shrine, we unanimously chose to be a nonsectarian organization from the start. To us, "La Leche" ("The Milk") became as much a symbol as a name. While it was chosen in part because the word "breastfeeding" was not acceptable at that time, in another sense our name's lofty origin reflected the importance we attached to the work we were undertaking.

http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/L...Jan98p141.html

 

ah ha! that's why so many people here in Canada pronounce it "Lesh" or "Lesh-ay", being more familiar with French than Spanish.

I do believe it's named for the Spanish word for milk, rather than the french -- are they spelled the same?

I agree that "lay-chay" is closest, but it's kind of in-between that and "lech ay"... now I've said it so many times both ways I can't remember how it's supposed to be pronounced!

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheal http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/L...Jan98p141.html

Thanks Sheal!

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiffani Thanks Sheal!

Your welcome!

 

The French word for milk is actually "Lait," pronounced like the English word "lay."

 

Reading this thread made me have letdown... WTF?

Anywho, this is a good thread 'cause I've always wondered. Thought it was "Lesh" but I will now pronnounce it correctly.

My MIL pronnounces it "Leech-ay" which I always found weird.

 

My husband, who is from Mexico, scolded me the other day when I said "lech-ay"

He says: "Let-chay." He often scolds other hispanics for pronouncing words wrong, but I think it depends on where you are from.

 

Actually the literal translation for breast milk is lait maternel (maternal milk) not just lait.

On an off topic kind of funny note: Louche is Quebecer slang for leave me the bleep alone (pronounced la-ow-sh)

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheal Since I am french I tend to pronounce it leh-sh (la leche league, isn't that french?).

La leche is the article and noun in Spanish. Not the same in French, no? League is not Spanish, and would come before the noun in any case.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheal Actually the literal translation for breast milk is lait maternel (maternal milk) not just lait.

Right, but in Spanish it's technically something like la leche de la madre (the milk from the mother). Of would it be "le" ? In french, milk is masculine, but I'm not sure about breastmilk, and I'm not sure about spanish. Or would the "La" in LLL be refering to the noun "league," which isn't even a Spanish word, but is probably feminine? All in all, I think it's a bit of a bad translation

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse Right, but in Spanish it's technically something like la leche de la madre (the milk from the mother). Of would it be "le" ? In french, milk is masculine, but I'm not sure about breastmilk, and I'm not sure about spanish. Or would the "La" in LLL be refering to the noun "league," which isn't even a Spanish word, but is probably feminine? All in all, I think it's a bit of a bad translation

well it is leche materna or leche de madre but i hardly ever hear leche de madre.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse Right, but in Spanish it's technically something like la leche de la madre (the milk from the mother). Of would it be "le" ? In french, milk is masculine, but I'm not sure about breastmilk, and I'm not sure about spanish. Or would the "La" in LLL be refering to the noun "league," which isn't even a Spanish word, but is probably feminine? All in all, I think it's a bit of a bad translation

La league (in the french sense) would be the correct term, well in french as league is fem.

As for lait maternel - le lait maternel as le would be describing the masc. of the word lait and not maternel. So you are right lait is masc. and I do agree it's a bad (very bad) translation all in all.

Sheal

 

Right - in Spanish (unlike French) milk is feminine (which to me seems more appropriate

).
So it's La Leche. Since "league" isn't a Spanish word, I think that's just part of the Spanish/English hybrid that the name is. Interesting that it was named that in part because "breastfeeding" was considered a taboo word. I never knew that!