Brugerh or Broozh?

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The narrator in the Focus Features trailer for In Bruges pronounces the city as "Brugerh" (another pheonetical spelling would be "Brugge", which is an anagram of bugger). Other sources and dictionaries seem to favor "Broozh." Which is it?

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 13, 2008 at 2:41 PM

comment #1

RoyBatty says ...

"Bruzhe" is the French pronunciation and "Brug-ah" closer to the local dialect.

At least according to Merriam-Webster

Posted by RoyBatty at January 13, 2008 3:02 PM

comment #2

scooterzz says ...

it rhymes with rouge (like the make-up)....considering the trouble you have with pronounciation (shia labeouf, anyone?), it's a good thing you decided to go into print and not broadcast.....(and judging from my typing style, i guess it's a good thing i chose the opposite)....

Posted by scooterzz at January 13, 2008 3:04 PM

comment #3

le corbeau says ...

Right, I'd assume Broogah is the Flemish (which is very close to German overall) although English-speakers always seem to say Broozh.

Posted by le corbeau at January 13, 2008 3:24 PM

comment #4

Sarcastig says ...

The pronunciation rhyming with rouge is the french one. The other is the Flemish one...which I wouldn't attempt. The Dutch 'g' sound is hard enough for foreigners; the soft 'g' in Flemish is even harder. And in Flemish, it's spelled "Brugge", not "Bruges", so the title seems to call for the Wallonian pronunciation anyway.

Posted by Sarcastig at January 13, 2008 3:32 PM

comment #5

Sarcastig says ...

Come to think of it, I'm talking nonsense. Partly, at least. "Bruges" rhyming with rouge is the pronunciation in English, kind of how in english you pronounce the s in Paris while you don't in French. In French (or Wallonian) the u is not a ew sound, but a straighter u, and unfortunately I can't think of a single English word that has that sound. May be if you know how to pronounce the u in "jus (d'orange)".

Ok, it's officially too late here for me to leave comments. Good night.

Posted by Sarcastig at January 13, 2008 3:39 PM

comment #6