[Captain Basil]

What is the correct pronunciation of Irene Adler?

I always use the Granada pronunciation "ee-RAY-na." Is that the British way?

In America, we say "eye-REEN," which sounds less musical to my ear.

Though, of course, Miss Adler was American.

[A. Polasek]

Always a point of contention. There is the third option - eye-REE-nee as well. When I first read SCAN I used standard American eye-REEN, switched to the Granada pronunciation after watching it ninety frillion times, but on reflection went back to my initial instinct. She was a New Jersey girl, and I think it likely she would have said eye-REEN. Curious about everyone else's answers...

A.

[John Clayton]

What is the correct pronunciation of Irene Adler?

I always use the Granada pronunciation "ee-RAY-na." Is that the British way?

In America, we say "eye-REEN," which sounds less musical to my ear.

Though, of course, Miss Adler was American.

To the boys back home, she will always be "eye-REEN" from New Jersey. Anything else is merely an affectation. Irene is as American as Hackensack.

However, from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, American opera singers, classical musicians, and ballet dancers often took Italian, Russsian, or other European names. Hence, Leopold Stokowski' s first wife performed as a pianist under the name Olga Samaroff, although she was born in Texas and christened Nancy Hickenlooper. The American Baritone Richard Bunns performed at the Metropolitan Opera (among other places) as Richard Bonelli. The American dancer Cyd Charisse (as she was billed in MGM movies) performed with the Ballet Russe under the names Maria Istomina & Felia Sidorova. She was born in Texas as Tula Ellice Finklea. Of course, that is only to name a few.

The name "Adler"is German for "eagle." It reminds me of the great Adler theatrical family. Jacob & Sarah Adler were stars in the Yiddish Theatre. Their children, Stella & Luther Adler were leading actors with The Group Theatre. Since the name "Adler" is often associated with Jewish families, I have long suspected that Irene Adler was a Jewess. That would have been more than sufficient reason for The King of Bohemia to regard marriage as being out of the question.

So, she may have fancied herself "ee-RAY-na" (like the French/German/Dutch prounuciation - the British pronunciation "eye-REE-nee" is just too affected!) in the musical world. All the same, she will always be "eye-REEN" to the boys back in the neighborhood!

[Shangas]

Irene Adler.

I've heard everything from Eh-rayne-ah, Eye-reen-ah, Ah-rayne-ah...

To me, it's "I-Reene" Adler.

[Limited-Fantasy]

Ah, choices, choices!

She's American so I automatically assume Aye-Reen.

Maybe because it is also her stage name, it's pronounced the German way, though. I tend to stick with Aye-Reen.

[BakerStreetBabe]

To me, it's "I-Reene" Adler.

Yup. that's always how I've said it!

[Orontes]

sigh..I don't know if I'm going to write the pronunciation correctly, sorry (I never studied phonetics' symbols because I hate them )

In Italy and Greece it's 'ee-ray-nay' more or less...(the first and second 'e' are read in the same way ... and you shouldn't read that 'y'...)

and if I'm not mistaken, Irene is a greek name. But used a lot everywhere.

I never noticed that it's pronunced in 100 different ways

[Psmith]

*puts on Greek hat*

Irene comes from the Greek ειρηνη meaning peace and pronounced something like 'Ay-reh-neh', with the 'e's like in 'hair'. (Yeah, I suck at phonetics.) So the Granada pronunciation is rather Classical, which I like. However, I've always pronounced the name 'eye-reen' because that was my old headteacher's name and that was how she pronounced it. I was young and easily impressionable.

I bet someone on here will tell me I used the wrong 'e' sound in my Greek... I'm sure I have, but I'm gonna leave it as it is because otherwise I'll feel even more of a fool for changing it when it was right. If that made any sense.

[Captain Basil]

Nancy Hickenlooper?

You couldn't come up with a funnier name if you tried! Truth is stranger than fiction.

[BakerStreetBabe]

Nancy Hickenlooper?

You couldn't come up with a funnier name if you tried! Truth is stranger than fiction.

Wow That IS a wild name....though I think that 'Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable' can be put right up there with 'Nancy Hickenlooper'!

[Karla Milan]

Irene Adler is an American, so I think she pronounces her name "eye-reen".

In Europe she maybe pronounces the name according to Adler in the german way: "ee-reh-ne"
Difficult to describe, I presume the long german "e" isn`t there in english.
Then the first "e" is spoken long, more as in "ego" or "emir", the second "e" is spoken short, more as in "end".

[Shangas]

Nancy Hickenlooper?

You couldn't come up with a funnier name if you tried! Truth is stranger than fiction.

I heard of a girl named Teresa Tickle. Her parents nicknamed her Tess.

[Psmith]

I heard of a girl named Teresa Tickle. Her parents nicknamed her Tess.

Oooooh. Painful...

[Miss Blue Carbuncle]

In Europe she maybe pronounces the name according to Adler in the german way: "ee-reh-ne"

Yes ! In french it would be even "ee-rain"
But I find "ee-RAY-na" and "Eye-reen-ah" very cute

[Dupin]

What is the correct pronunciation of Irene Adler?

I always use the Granada pronunciation "ee-RAY-na." Is that the British way?

In America, we say "eye-REEN," which sounds less musical to my ear.

Though, of course, Miss Adler was American.

I've always thought it sounded best pronounce Ih-rein-ah Add-lr, but it makes the most sense saying it the way I think it was meant to be said, Irony Adler...