# Cymraeg (Welsh): Siân



## TrentinaNE

I'm reading a book by Welsh-born actress Sîan Phillips, and I was wondering if her first name is Welsh, and if so, how it would be pronounced.  I say it similarly to "Shawn" in my head -- is that woefully far off?

Many thanks! 
Elisabetta


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## Setwale_Charm

It is the Welsh version of Joan, Jana, Jeanne, Johanna etc.... 
 It is pronounced as Shan.


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## Outsider

I think you've misspelled her name. Isn't it "Siân"?


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## TrentinaNE

You're correct, Outsider, I placed the 'caret' over the i by mistake.  It should be over the a.  Sorry!

Thanks, Setwale_Charm.  Would that be "Shan, rhymes with can, man, pan"?

Elisabetta


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## Setwale_Charm

Not quite. It is rather a full *"a"* than *æ* So it would rhyme better with "done", only in "pure" standard English without any tendency towards "o".


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## Outsider

Is it like a Romance "a" (Spanish, Italian, etc.)?


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## sharnyparny

Hi. That's my name and according to my Mum, the woman at my dad's office who recommended the name when I was born, and another British girl  of the same name that I met once, it's pronounced "sharn", like "yarn". I've never actually found any sort of book or publication that confirms this (most say it is supposed to be pronounced "shawn"), though.

*shrug*

Either way, I think the way I pronounce it is pretty, even if it isn't proper. 

xo!

PS - I did some more googling and was suprisingly successful in finding this bit of info from another website (behindthename.com): "The circumflex is known as a 'to bach' in Welsh, this translates as 'little roof'. This lengthens the vowel sound to 'ar'. I think it would be better phonetically written as 'Sharn'." I just thought I'd pass it along. Cheers!


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## Setwale_Charm

There should be no "r" heard there.


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## sharnyparny

Setwale_Charm said:


> There should be no "r" heard there.



Haha well, I'll pronounce my name however I fancy, but thanks anyway for the correction.


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## TarisWerewolf

sharnyparny said:


> Hi. That's my name and according to my Mum, the woman at my dad's office who recommended the name when I was born, and another British girl  of the same name that I met once, it's pronounced "sharn", like "yarn". I've never actually found any sort of book or publication that confirms this (most say it is supposed to be pronounced "shawn"), though.



It would be pronounced as "sharn" in dialects of English that don't pronounce the letter "R" after vowels. For example, in my dialect of Canadian English (Ottawa Valley mixed with Nova Scotian), I wouldn't pronounce _Siân_ and _Sharn_ the same at all because of the R. I would find it more helpful to see "Shahn" (which, I believe is how my "Teach Yourself Welsh" book does it with their Imitated Pronunciation).


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