How Do You Pronounce "Van Gogh"?

[Dan R]

Not only that, how do you pronounce JS Bach? Some say "Baaaaccchhh". To say "Bok" is not how it's pronounced so it's said.

 

[Torren61]

Is this why Don Mclean titled his song simply Vincent? Even he didn't want to go there.

YOU get a high five. GOD, that song makes me cry every time.

 

[Dan R]

Not to hijack but the movie "Loving Vincent" is fabulous. A great film.

 

[Obsessed]

Spending time in Belgium and many art museums, I was pretty close to the correct pronunciation of the guy in the video, but of course, pronunciation amongst our fellow Americans gets lost quickly for reasons I do not understand. Embarrassing really. Why do we not want to pronounce names from other countries correctly? Laissez faire or just plain lazy?

 

[Torren61]

Not to hijack but the movie "Loving Vincent" is fabulous. A great film.

AGREED!

 

[soulgeezer]

ファンゴッホ

 

[Torren61]

Spending time in Belgium and many art museums, I was pretty close to the correct pronunciation of the guy in the video, but of course, pronunciation amongst our fellow Americans gets lost quickly for reasons I do not understand. Embarrassing really. Why do we not want to pronounce names from other countries correctly? Laissez faire or just plain lazy?

I don't understand a WORD you're saying. Imagine being Hemingway (without the mental illness) in Paris at that time...

 

[Blue Bill]

 

[HotRodSteve]

Vinny van Go. If he was from NY.

 

[koen]

In Dutch?:

I am Dutch, and was born not too far from where Vincent was born.

This clip has the correct pronunciation.

 

[P-Nutz]

Ahh-soul?

 

[knavel]

"Van Go" is correct for USA, maybe Canada as well; "Van Goff" is correct for Europe/UK. The occasional exception in North America is someone who says "Van Goff" to try to stand out the way NPR does when their news readers say certain foreign names.

This makes me think of how where I come from in the USA we all said "Ray and Dave Davees" of the Kinks; but over here in the UK it's "Ray and Dave Davis" (silent "e").

 

[Torren61]

This sucks

 

[Blue Bill]

LOL!!!! JR is an acquired taste, for sure. We love him here, around Boston.

 

[Bluesboy3]

Is this why Don Mclean titled his song simply Vincent? Even he didn't want to go there.

"A long long time ago
I could still remember
how to pronounce Van Go"

 

[MarkieMark]

But I knew if I had my chance
I would think perhaps, perchance...
Maybe I could mouth it out real slow....

 

[Rocky058]

Vince.

 

[Toast]

I prefer the American version van go. I actually think we've improved the pronunciation of his name so I'm sticking with it. I think the British should stop saying mostery and adopt the American version mastery so they don't sound like such snobs.

 

[Dismalhead]

Van Go cut off your ear.

 

[Steerforth]

Here is the definitive answer, from someone who speaks a dialect of Dutch that makes me sound like I’m 300 years old if I speak to a modern day Dutch person.

First of all, “Van” is pronounced, “Fahn”. The letter “V” should be pronounced like “F”.

Secondly, you’re going to have to work on the “Gogh” part. The letter “G” should be pronounced sort of like you’re trying to pronounce an “H” while clearing your throat.

It’s very difficult to describe it. There’s a little bit of “G”, a lot of “H”, and half a raspy throat clearing going on there. You should try to find a few YouTube videos of people speaking Afrikaans, you’ll hear it.

Lastly, it’s hard enough for an English speaker to pronounce one “G” correctly. In this case, you’ve got one in front and one at the end. The “H” adds a little duration to the rasp from the last “G”.

So there you have it. Pronounce it like that and not only will you be accurate, but everyone around you will think you’re hawking up a loogie when you say it.