Aix? as in Aix en Provence ?

You won't believe this, dear help, but there is a whole thread on that question!! <BR>Just type in this in the search area, having clicked on France....Phonetic Pronunciation of Aix-in-Provence. <BR>That will bring up more than you really want to know, and then some, about pronouncing that name.

"ex" is the pronunciation.

Thanks for the help. <BR> <BR>Not sure how I missed that post

A few years ago when we were in Paris we were at a party and I asked a nice man who had grown up in Paris, but now lived in California. How do you pronounce 'arrondisement'(sp)? He laughed and said "Not to worry, you'll never get it right." He never did tell me....Paul J

I just topped a thread about the very same topic. it should be at of near the top at 2:20 p.m. Wed. <BR> <BR>Aix=ex

erren-deesee-moan

Oui, "X" marks the spot! <BR> <BR>Also, the name "Aix" is a contraction of the Latin name "Aquae Sextiae". (Why the sensual French didn't shorten it to "Sex" instead, I'll never know :~) Aix-en-Provence draws its origin and name from its thermal springs.

The person that"invented French; his father HAD to be an ink salesman....all those letters tacked on at the end that are never "used".

Yes, wonderful French - - only language that can put five consecutive vowels together, and not pronounce about half of what is written: <BR> <BR>Ils louaient <BR> <BR>(Eel loo-ay) <BR> <BR>They rented. <BR> <BR>

Arrondissement = [ah-rong-dees-mang] whereby the 'ng' represents nasalization.

Roller Ball, you're close to the mark: under Napoleon, when the French population had to have surnames, public writers used to be paid according to the number or letters they wrote, hence the x, z and double letters of many family names.