I throw this out to the multitude because I forgot to ask my creative writing teacher.
How do you pronounce the name Proserpine? Is it Pross-er-pin-ay or Proser-pine or Proz-er-pin-ay or what?
I've seen it written down. I know she's in a poem by Shelley (I think it's Shelley) but I've never heard it said.
How do you pronounce the name Proserpine? Is it Pross-er-pin-ay or Proser-pine or Proz-er-pin-ay or what?
I've seen it written down. I know she's in a poem by Shelley (I think it's Shelley) but I've never heard it said.
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But if it's the poem I think you're thinking of, it's by Swinbourne, and he stresses it on the first syllable and rhymes it with "wine." So I guess there you pronounce it the way the poet wants you to.
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I love it so much, especially this bit, with really hits home with me (I can't make the lines go to the right places) but:
From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
Whatever gods may be
That no life lives for ever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
Winds somewhere safe to sea.
Then star nor sun shall waken,
Nor any change of light:
Nor sound of waters shaken,
Nor any sound or sight:
Nor wintry leaves nor vernal,
Nor days nor things diurnal;
Only the sleep eternal
In an eternal night.
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I didn't realize it before, but if I see Proserpine I automatically say Persephone. Mostly the same letters, I guess. Good old pattern matching!
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In 19th century English pronunciation of Latin, long "I" was as in "night" and short "I" was as in "bit" but as this is the Anglicised spelling anyway that doesn't matter.
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But last week, when I went to the broadcast of The Winter's Tale, Perdita was saying
"...O Proserpina,
For the flowers now that frighted thou let'st fall
from Dis's wagon!"
Obviously Shakespeare was going for the -a spelling, but I think HRH said Pross-er-pee-na. That might be the rural Bohemian accent, of course.
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I think my instinct would be Pros-er-peen-a.
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