I was wondering if Madrid has any common nicknames, like for instance, my hometown, Columbus, Ohio is sometimes called the "Big C.O." (I know, not terribly original) or New York is the "Big Apple", Paris is "La ville lumiere", Havana is "La Perla Sudenya" or "La Perla del Caribe", etc, etc.
Does Madrid have any such "nickname"? Another thing I've noticed is the pronunciation of Madrid. Some Spaniards say "Madrith", (or "Madriz" if you're using continental spelling.), pretty much the way we latin-americans say it, but I've also heard "Madri" and once something like "Ma-i"! What's the typical way of saying Madrid IN Madrid???
Miguel Barnes
Posts: 12 | Location: Columbus, USA | Registered: 05 November 2001
I'm not from Madrid so, my friends always tell me that I have gone to or that I live now at "La Capi" (capi comes from capital).
And about the pronunciation ... It depends of where you are from. I say "Madrid", some of my Madrilean friends say "Madri" and my catalonian friends say "Madrit". I think that it's easier to say "Madri" or "Madrit" than "Madrid".
People only say "Madriz" when they are trying to tease or make fun of that noun.
Posts: 191 | Location: madrid | Registered: 10 December 2001
Would that final "th" be voiced or unvoiced? That is "th" as in "theater" or as in "the"? I was taught to make those final "d"'s like "th" in "the"(voiced) Also, that the "z" is unvoiced. Later, we can take on the famed bilabial fricative if you like.
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001
"Madriz" is not a real Madrilenian pronunciation, in spite what you may hear in Madrid. Most of the people in Madrid pronounce it that way because of the influence of inmigration, but the typical way of pronouncing "Madrid" in Madrid is "Madr�". If anyone doesn't agree with me, I challenge you to check old "zarzuelas" lyrics, and check the roles of Madrilenian people: they would say they "come from Madr�". Anyway, that's the "chulo" and "over-pronouncing" way of saying it (you might remember that most "zarzuelas" are comic), a more reasonable pronunciation would keep a slight "d" at the end of the word.
Posts: 399 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 05 July 2001
Yeah, everyone snickered the first time they heard the term in phonetics class, too. And while we're at it, don't forget the non-plosive "p" and "t" sounds(we had to talk in front of a candle and not let it waver!)
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001