Hello Anne, Just to fill you in: Geiger, or Gyger or Gijger, or Giger are pronounced in the German language in the same way. there is no difference in. That applies for the Dutch language of the surname Geiger or Giger as well, only in the German language is the +G+ pronounced more softly, more from behind of your throat. I guess that is why you were hearing: " To my ears, GYGER was GOOGA. GIGER was GEEGA" That translation program was noticing a difference in the second letter +Y+ or +I+ If you ask a German to pronounce Geiger or Gyger, you will not hear any difference. to add some more I have below a part of a mail by Gerald Gieger: =======Dear Tom: I have no problem with your spelling. For at least the past four generations, my ancestors have pronounced the name 'gighger' with a soft h sound almost rhyming with the English word 'bigger' and they spelled it 'ie' but sometimes it got recorded as 'ei' chiefly because the British Colony scriveners could not understand the guttural Switzerdeutsch. So, at least one time it was recorded as Kegar, and also as Giger, Gigger, and Grigger. The German Geiger's who arrived in the Port of Philadelphia about 1740 (+/- a few years) have always spelled it GEIGER, but I am told that some of the western Pennsylvanian oldtimers pronounce it "gighger" I don't speak Switzerdeutsch or even Deutsche for that matter, but relate to a High School teachers who does and her father also speaks fluently so I depend upon them when I hit a brick wall...I was told that the 'y' in Gyger is pronounced sort of like the 'i' in the English word 'it' and as in Gymnasium. There are folks in the US who spell their name Kiger or Kiker, who are also descended from the German Geiger's who came to Philadelphia. The sound of the hard "G" and the "K" are similar... We must discuss more about this in the future===== Besides of the +sounds+ programme, Í notice some excellent translation programs at that site you reffering to I hope my and Gerald's comments added something to the difficulties of language of our German/Swiss ancestors. Regards from The Netherlands, Thomas Georg Geiger (Tom) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Connell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 4:25 AM Subject: [GEIGER] Languages (http://users.rootsweb.com/~deuhes/Hessen/language.htm) > I think everyone on the list would find this website of great interest. I > have already used it to translate a little of my Swiss records and to listen > to the pronunciation of GYGER and GIGER. > > http://users.rootsweb.com/~deuhes/Hessen/language.htm > > If you scroll way down to a box that says "Learning German: ....." you can > type in German words and listen to a synthesized voice pronounce them (if > you have sound) .... You may have to try diff. audio formats to make it work > for you. > > It goes fast, so I set it on "slowest" and typed "GYGER" and "GIGER" several > times each. I was amazed at what I heard. > > To my ears, GYGER was GOOGA. GIGER was GEEGA. > > Comments, please? Anne C. > > > > > > ==== GEIGER Mailing List ==== > Check out our GEIGER homepage at: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~geiger/ > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. >