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Rye
08-22-2010, 04:11 PM
How do you pronounce the word/name "dawn"?

Do you pronounce it more like the "Don" in Donald, or do you pronounce the "awwww" strongly, with a very obvious "w" sound in it?

At work, I thought the person on the phone, a Texan man, was asking for the president of the company, Don, when he was asking for a woman named Dawn. I was very embarrassed. He kept saying Dawn like "don" and that doesn't sound right to me. I guess it's a regional thing!

Winter Nights
08-22-2010, 04:20 PM
The latter, though even then, there's barely a noticeable difference in how it sounds. The "aw" sound is held just a split second longer. Over the phone, this would be especially hard to notice.

War Angel
08-22-2010, 04:34 PM
I am not a native English speaker, so I've had to 'adopt' a certain accent to come across as half-ineligible. It used to be an unholy American-Israeli mishmash, and now I've evolved into a mostly British-sounding bloke, with a hint of many other accents. British accents make you sound more clever and sophisticated, even if you're a complete dolt, so...

'Dohn' it is. :D

Raistlin
08-22-2010, 04:43 PM
I wasn't aware there was anyone who didn't pronounced the "w." Though I guess if anyone would, it'd be hicks (note that Southerners are the same heretics who use "Coke" to describe all sodas).

rubah
08-22-2010, 05:16 PM
I... you're supposed to say the w? I guess I'm a hick then.

... when my grandma says my dad's middle name (which is don) she always drawls it out anyway.

"daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahn"

Old Manus
08-22-2010, 05:39 PM
Dorn

Peegee
08-22-2010, 06:02 PM
so it's 'daw-n' ? eff that. It's don. As in 6am is when Don woke up; at dawn.

Shorty
08-22-2010, 08:12 PM
I'm not from the the south, but I saw "don".

~*~Celes~*~
08-22-2010, 08:16 PM
"dawwwwn"

Iceglow
08-22-2010, 08:23 PM
DAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNN!

Seriously I pronounce my AWWWWW soo very well!

I love how people can't pronounce my sur-name lol people always get it wrong.

Jessweeee♪
08-22-2010, 08:53 PM
I hear the "aw" when I pronounce it because I'm conscious of the fact that I'm saying "Dawn" and not "Don," but in reality it sounds exactly the same. The difference is in my imagination. If you heard someone else say it and didn't specifically know that they were saying "Dawn" you wouldn't pick it up unless they really drew it out. Like "daw-n" with a really thick southern drawl. And in that case it's likely "Don" would be pronounced the same way.


Though I guess if anyone would, it'd be hicks (note that Southerners are the same heretics who use "Coke" to describe all sodas).

The coke thing is more true to people over the age of sixty than Southerners in general. My grandparents who have never left the state of Illinois do this, as well as say things like "warsh" instead of "wash." xD

qwertysaur
08-22-2010, 08:57 PM
I'm from the NYC area, and we love our awwwwww sounds. :bigsmile:

Rye
08-22-2010, 08:59 PM
I can't hear the difference between Don "Don" and and Dawn "Dahn" whatsoever. Someone at the office who was from the south tried to explain it to me, but my ears couldn't pick it up. XD I felt silly.

Fujiko
08-22-2010, 09:02 PM
The latter~

escobert
08-22-2010, 09:30 PM
Don.

Iceglow
08-22-2010, 10:42 PM
Listen to the Englishman give you a lesson in pronouncing the name Don and the name Dawn. You filthy yanks! :bigsmile:

blackmage_nuke
08-22-2010, 10:43 PM
I pronounce it with the same vowel sound as in your, so a bit like dorn without an r sound. Or i just say sunrise.

Zeldy
08-22-2010, 10:47 PM
'dorn'.

Rantz
08-22-2010, 11:03 PM
I say Dååån.

Jessweeee♪
08-23-2010, 12:23 AM
Listen to the Englishman give you a lesson in pronouncing the name Don and the name Dawn. You filthy yanks! :bigsmile:

Okay so one is Don and one is Dorn. How sad to have a name that rhymes with Corn.

Parker
08-23-2010, 12:31 AM
someone make an audio thread so i can hear all your lovely voices again....

Jiro
08-23-2010, 01:06 AM
Dorn.

NorthernChaosGod
08-23-2010, 04:53 AM
...they're pronounced the same. :colbert:

Logie
08-23-2010, 05:31 AM
Dorn! :)

Agent Proto
08-23-2010, 05:52 AM
Listen to the Englishman give you a lesson in pronouncing the name Don and the name Dawn. You filthy yanks! :bigsmile:

Okay so one is Don and one is Dorn. How sad to have a name that rhymes with Corn.


...they're pronounced the same. :colbert:

Really! Dorn sounds really weird. Maybe with a British accept, it's acceptable. Without it, unacceptable! :greenie:

Shoeberto
08-23-2010, 06:05 AM
I know that I physically move my lips to enunciate the "w" though it's not something you might perceive while listening to me.

Mirage
08-23-2010, 06:51 AM
I say Dååån.

Holy snap, I do too!

boris no no
08-23-2010, 08:35 PM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

Pheesh
08-23-2010, 08:38 PM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

Shiny
08-23-2010, 11:24 PM
Dwam

Jessweeee♪
08-23-2010, 11:52 PM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

Rebellious Eagle
08-24-2010, 02:14 AM
I pronounce the w very audibly. Not that I'm southern or anything. I didn't know people pronounced it like Don?

Pheesh
08-24-2010, 03:57 AM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

Courtesy of Iceglow; for your convenience.


Listen to the Englishman give you a lesson in pronouncing the name Don and the name Dawn. You filthy yanks! :bigsmile:

Bunny
08-24-2010, 04:35 AM
It depends on how critical I am being. If I am speaking to people who do not really care, I'll say "don". If I am giving a speech or presentation that includes the word, I will say "dawn" with a short, drawn-out aw. I tend to speak candidly around my friends.

English accents are silly. Doooooorn.

Raistlin
08-24-2010, 04:39 AM
I pronounce it http://cdn1.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/062/355/original/Pigboots-Haters-gonna-hate.jpg?1280364642

escobert
08-24-2010, 06:45 AM
Dwam

ewwww:trout:

qwertysaur
08-24-2010, 08:10 AM
I pronounce it http://cdn1.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/062/355/original/Pigboots-Haters-gonna-hate.jpg?1280364642
I remember that pig! Psy had him in a magnificent Signature. :bigsmile:

Kirobaito
08-24-2010, 08:14 AM
"Don" and "Dawn" are pronounced exactly the same. I do not understand how people can say 'pronounce the w.' The "aw" and short "o" are the exact same sound.

Rodarian
08-24-2010, 08:55 AM
Dawn is to Yawn....Yawn is to Pawn....Pawn is to Pon and Pon is Don..

So Don is Dawn!

Quindiana Jones
08-24-2010, 08:11 PM
Dorn.

Like the Barbarian from Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2.

boris no no
08-24-2010, 08:42 PM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

Levian
08-24-2010, 08:48 PM
I say Dååån.

Holy snap, I do too!

scandinavians unite.

Inferno
08-24-2010, 08:56 PM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

I don't get it either... I guess it's a silent 'r'

Raistlin
08-24-2010, 09:07 PM
I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

Without a randomly-inserted "r." And instead like it's spelled.

boris no no
08-24-2010, 09:10 PM
I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

Without a randomly-inserted "r." And instead like it's spelled.

O_o you pronounce it 'Da-double u-n??

Raistlin
08-24-2010, 09:16 PM
Yes, just like that.

"Dorn" is almost as bad as "leftenant" (for lieutenant). You Brits and your random-letter fetish.

boris no no
08-24-2010, 09:22 PM
Yes, just like that.

"Dorn" is almost as bad as "leftenant" (for lieutenant). You Brits and your random-letter fetish.

Pffft I am rubber you are glue!!

NorthernChaosGod
08-25-2010, 04:26 AM
Dorn.

Like the Barbarian from Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2.
Best fucking character. :cool:



Yes, just like that.

"Dorn" is almost as bad as "leftenant" (for lieutenant). You Brits and your random-letter fetish.

Pffft I am rubber you are glue!!
*plays with rubber*

Jessweeee♪
08-25-2010, 06:14 AM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

"Yahn"

boris no no
08-25-2010, 07:38 AM
dorn - pronounced like yawn ^^

^This

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'don' from 'dawn'.

I see no conceivable way that you could get 'dorn' from 'dawn'. :confused:

how on earth do you guys pronounce yawn then :confused:

"Yahn"
ok - close to yorn... so you should pronounce Dawn as D-ah-n!

Quindiana Jones
08-25-2010, 11:28 AM
How the Christ can anyone interpret "aw" as "ah"? xD

If something's cute, do you guys go "ahhhhhhh"?

rubah
08-25-2010, 01:57 PM
Basically, but with a "wuh" at the end. Do you go "arrrrrrrr"?

Rye
08-25-2010, 02:12 PM
I finally stopped being lazy and gave my pronunciation the old recording.

I have a bit of a rasp in my voice this morning. I didn't have my coffee yet. x_x

Inferno
08-25-2010, 02:40 PM
Rubah your voice is so mielleuse

rubah
08-25-2010, 09:59 PM
thank you :o that's a new one on me

Jessweeee♪
08-26-2010, 02:26 AM
How the Christ can anyone interpret "aw" as "ah"? xD

If something's cute, do you guys go "ahhhhhhh"?

Usually when I'm "aw"ing at something cute, I don't use my normal tone of voice. The "aw" is greatly exaggerated and you can distinguish it from "ah." If I were to say "yawn" in that same tone then it would sound like "yawn" as opposed to "yahn."

disapointedchild
08-27-2010, 09:52 AM
Oh god, I don't know, :| so im gonna say pass. Next question please. :)

aquatius
08-28-2010, 11:23 PM
The latter as my accent is fairly close to RP.