On May 6, 2007, at 2:16 PM, polandbordersurnames-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > Message: 6 > Date: Sun, 06 May 2007 14:15:59 -0400 > From: Ruth Madar <deerhart@adelphia.net> > Subject: Re: [PBS] Wladyslaw > To: polandbordersurnames@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <5.0.0.25.2.20070506141456.0298ce28@mail.adelphia.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > > Is it possible to explain how Wladyslaw is pronounced for us non > speaking > Polish people? > > ------------------------------ The Polish would have accent marks through the letter L giving the sound of our W. If your computer recognizes international characters you will see the difference here: Władysław. The W has the sound of our V, but the W at the end of a word sounds like our F. The accent of most Polish names falls on the second to the last syllable. It sounds pretty much like Masculine: Vwah-DIH-swahf Adding an A to the end of a masculine name to make it feminine adds a syllable, thus the accented syllable also shifts. Władysława sounds like Feminine: Vwah-dih-SWAH-vah Jerry