# Basque/Vasco: Goenaga



## cawr22

My friend has a last name that she recently found out was of Vasco (Basque) origin.  She does not know her father, and has always wondered how to pronounce it.  The name is *Goenaga*, and she usually pronounces it like "Go-NA-guh" (with the last syllable as in the English word GUT).  If there's anyone familiar with the Basque language that would be willing to correctly pronounce it once and for all, it would be greatly appriciated.


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## pablopixel

Hi! Try this: http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php?sitepal

Just enter the last name, select basque and push the "Say It" button. I'm basque and I can assure you that the pronunciation in this web is perfect.


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## Luceni

cawr22 said:


> My friend has a last name that she recently found out was of Vasco (Basque) origin.  She does not know her father, and has always wondered how to pronounce it.  The name is *Goenaga*, and she usually pronounces it like "Go-NA-guh" (with the last syllable as in the English word GUT).  If there's anyone familiar with the Basque language that would be willing to correctly pronounce it once and for all, it would be greatly appriciated.



If you read it according to Spanish phonetics, you will have the correct pronunciation. Vowels sounds are pronounced in a similar way in both languages. Some consonant sounds are different, but not the ones in that surname.

The meaning of the surname is: GOEN: in the high part, and AGA means place, so the meaning is: (The house) in the high place. Basque surnames are often names of old houses, families often took their houses names as family's names.


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## pablopixel

Luceni said:


> If you read it according to Spanish phonetics, you will have the correct pronunciation. Vowels sounds are pronounced in a similar way in both languages. Some consonant sounds are different, but not the ones in that surname.



That's right, but the spanish and basque accents are not similar. In basque we use the double accentuation, not writing but speaking. We use to accent the first and third syllables from the end. So in basque we'll say Goénagá while in spanish we'll say Goenága. The written accents are for explaining what I'm trying to say, obviously, because in basque there aren't written accents and neither in this case in spanish.


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## Luceni

pablopixel said:


> That's right, but the spanish and basque accents are not similar. In basque we use the double accentuation, not writing but speaking. We use to accent the first and third syllables from the end. So in basque we'll say Goénagá while in spanish we'll say Goenága. The written accents are for explaining what I'm trying to say, obviously, because in basque there aren't written accents and neither in this case in spanish.



Good explanation, Pablo. I was trying to explain _the quality _of the sounds, not _the stress_. I know that double stressing system- I studied Basque. 

Anyway, now Cawr's friend will be able to pronounce her surname with the correct pronunciation and the correct stress! 

Agur.


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