How do you pronounce Gedevanishvili?

[ilovepaydays]

She is a GREAT skater and I want to nail saying her name so I can make fun of whoever (probably Dick) fumbles trying to say it tomorrow night!

 

[Ptichka]

Actually, exactly as it is writen. ge-de-va-ni-SHVI-li

 

[ilovepaydays]

Thanks!

 

[jesslily]

How old is she? She looks very young, like a 16 years old. She is a beautiful skater.

 

[dutchherder]

And what an adorable girl, too!

 

[hockeyfan228]

But how is the "ge" pronounced? Is it a hard "g", like in "girl," or is it a soft "g", like in "genre"?

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

"G" is pronounced as in "Great"!

edited to add: "GE" is pronounced as in "Ghent".

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It took me two seasons of American Ballet Theatre to be able to pronounc their Prima Ballerina who happens to be a Georgian, too.

Nina Ananiashvili I broke it down as Ana Niash Vili. I presume the Vili is 'daughter of', and Ana Niash is the last name of the father?, mother?

Ptichka - Our Vili's are not the same. Should they be?

Joe

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

ending of SHVILLI is very typical for Georgian surname, but so is DZE (as in Eduard Shevardnadze, ex-PM). Not sure which one may mean "daughter of" or "son of".

pronounciation is hyighlighted at the end (is it a correct way to describe it?). I think you pronounce Ananiashvilli correctly. I wouldn't separate SH and VILLI. Try to make into a signle word..basically avoid shhh.villii. it should be just shvilli

did it help?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Thanks St.Louis Blues for the clarification. Next month I will be seeing Mazeppa at the Met Opera. The entire production is the St Petersburg production. Most of the audience with be Russians so I'll try to fit in.

I would go on to say that the DZE ending would be 'son of'
the SHVILI would be 'daughter of'

Like OV is son of and KAYA is daughter of in Russian.

Just guessing.

Joe

 

[Ptichka]

Joe, remember General Shalikashvili? Whose daughter was he?

Seriously, though, here is a very nice brief chart explaining the different Georgian last names.

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

Joe, remember General Shalikashvili? Whose daughter was he?

Seriously, though, here is a very nice brief chart explaining the different Georgian last names.

I guess I wasn't clear, sorry Joe. I meant that one of the endings may mean "child of" but not one is a female ending or a male ending. I never heard of any Georgean surnames having different endings for females and males. Thanks to the link, Ptichka, it was a good read.

Another famous Georgian that comes to mind with a "Dze" ending is George Balanchivadze (Balanchine).

Infomous "Shvilli" - Stalin's original last name was Dzhugashvilli.

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

Like OV is son of and KAYA is daughter of in Russian.

Just guessing.

Joe

actually OV goes with OVA and KIY goes with KAYA.

My last names ends with SKY, in Russia it was SKAYA. All of us girls changed it to SKY to make it easier for everyone.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Thanks Ladies! for all your help with Russian and Georgian surnames.

It is not unlike Celtic names with Mc, Mac, O', son, and s. None of these show preference to gender.

Joe

 

[WeirsAngel]

ge-de-va-NI-shvi-li, at least that's how I pronounce it.

she turned 16 on 7th January, so she's reaaaaaaaaally young...