# yök(öttävä)



## Gavril

Is this word pronounced as you would expect from the spelling?

I ask because _yök_ looks as though it may have been influenced by English _yuck_, in which case the "y" would be pronounced like the "j" of _joki _etc. But, the resemblance to English may be pure coincidence.


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## locutus

Gavril said:


> Is this word pronounced as you would expect from the spelling?
> 
> I ask because _yök_ looks as though it may have been influenced by English _yuck_, in which case the "y" would be pronounced like the "j" of _joki _etc. But, the resemblance to English may be pure coincidence.



But, Finnish is always pronounced as you would expect...

I would be inclined to think the origin is onomatopoeic... like the English word, "yuck" ...and thus probably an "expected coincidence"....

The Finnish name.._Yrjö..._ "George"...can have a similar onomatopoeic sense...but, of course, the English version doesn't, and nor would you expect it to...


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## Mårran

Yes, it's pronounced as it's written. The word _jököttää_ also exists but that means something totally different.


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## Tappahannock

locutus said:


> The Finnish name.._Yrjö..._ "George"...can have a similar onomatopoeic sense...but, of course, the English version doesn't, and nor would you expect it to...



Yep, in that sense we have to translate George as Ralph, at least in American English.

As in "There were a bunch of guys using the big white phone to call Ralph in Roanoke -- Ralph O'Roark."  And the connection must have been quite bad, because they had to repeat his name to the operator many times, loudly.

Now I wonder, do Finns ever talk about _posliinipuhelin_?  "Se puhuu posliinipulelimessa."   I've never heard it, but I have to believe it would be a well-established expression of the concept.

How do Canadians and Brits talk about this concept, I wonder?  Does George get the same name?


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## Hakro

I remember a night, many years or decades ago, when I was walking towards home after midnight and after too many drinks. It was a long way to go but suddenly I saw that the house of a friend was much closer than my home. I went to the door and after a long knocking my friend came to open the door. All I could say was:

- Saanko tulla teille *yöks*!

The last word did not mean "for the night". You can guess he refused.


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## Tappahannock

With all this talk about Yrjö and Yök- and Ralph and Roark, I think it's interesting the respective speakers of Finnish and English apparently maintain sufficient presence of mind at all times to upchuck in the correct language.


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## locutus

Tappahannock said:


> Yep, in that sense we have to translate George as Ralph, at least in American English.
> 
> As in "There were a bunch of guys using the big white phone to call Ralph in Roanoke -- Ralph O'Roark." And the connection must have been quite bad, because they had to repeat his name to the operator many times, loudly.
> 
> Now I wonder, do Finns ever talk about _posliinipuhelin_? "Se puhuu posliinipulelimessa." I've never heard it, but I have to believe it would be a well-established expression of the concept.
> 
> How do Canadians and Brits talk about this concept, I wonder? Does George get the same name?


 
Yes, indeed....on that basis, the Finnish, _Yrj*ö*_ would have to be translated as, "Ralph", in Canadian English as well... Back in the day we used the same expression, probably picked up from the USA, or maybe Britain???... But a "good fit" nevertheless...  And I also remember references to the "Big White Phone" and the "Porcelain Phone"...


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