Silly Question...

[languageartslady]

But I have wondered.

 

This is my first time sailing on HAL.

 

Are the ship's names pronounced "dam" like a beaver's dam or "dam" like Dom like the fancy booze?

 

Just wondering... don't want to sound like a first-timer (even if I am one!)

 

Thanks!

[oofroggie]

dam as in beaver dam

[languageartslady]

Thank you! That was fast!

 

Getting close now!!

[dakrewser]

Or as in "Those DAM ships!"

[tvguy1]

Dam. They are affectionedly know as "Those Dam Ships"

[PeaceLoveCruise]

Hey Languageartslady!! You're on my DAM ship! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have you joined your WesterDAM Roll Call to meet other DAM cruisers?

[rafinmd]

Here's the pronounciation guide Copper10-8 provided some time ago. It looks like Westerdam is one of the easier ones overall:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=5911663&postcount=9

 

Roy

[sapper1]

English speakers will use "dam" but if you listen closely, the Dutch officers will say "dohm"

[Boytjie]

English speakers will use "dam" but if you listen closely, the Dutch officers will say "dohm"

 

To me it sounds almost like 'dumb'. :)

[superoma]

To me it sounds almost like 'dumb'. :)

 

That is probably the best "sounding out" way to describe "dam" - the a is short in Dutch (and German) whereas when English speakers say dam the a is a long sound.

 

Not much of a problem as long as I am on a "dam" ship!!

[Randyk47]

English speakers will use "dam" but if you listen closely, the Dutch officers will say "dohm"

 

I guess because I started cruising with Holland America just a couple of years after returning from living and working in Germany for several years I defaulted to the Dutch "dohm" pronunciation rather than the English "dam". However, when I say things like "All Holland America ship names end in "dam"." I pronounce it like the English. If asked what was my first Holland America ship I say the Ryndam which I pronounce "Rhine-dohm", not "Rhine-dam". Hmmmm...... :o:)

[hal lover]

For me I have always pronounced it "dohm". Either way, I love those dolm or dam ships!

[sapper1]

To me it sounds almost like 'dumb'. :)

 

I think we were both going for the same sound.---Just spelling it differently.

[sapper1]

I guess because I started cruising with Holland America just a couple of years after returning from living and working in Germany for several years I defaulted to the Dutch "dohm" pronunciation rather than the English "dam". However, when I say things like "All Holland America ship names end in "dam"." I pronounce it like the English. If asked what was my first Holland America ship I say the Ryndam which I pronounce "Rhine-dohm", not "Rhine-dam". Hmmmm...... :o:)

I spent two years in Germany in my early teens and to this day still use German pronunciation and European spelling for cities.

[languageartslady]

I was pronouncing it like "dohm," but can switch to Dam!

 

I AM on the same Dam ship, PeaceLoveCruise! Hooray for the Dam ship!

 

:)

 

I will go and study up on all the pronunciations so I'll be ready!

[sail7seas]

I guess because I started cruising with Holland America just a couple of years after returning from living and working in Germany for several years I defaulted to the Dutch "dohm" pronunciation rather than the English "dam". However, when I say things like "All Holland America ship names end in "dam"." I pronounce it like the English. If asked what was my first Holland America ship I say the Ryndam which I pronounce "Rhine-dohm", not "Rhine-dam". Hmmmm...... :o:)

 

....Yet I've heard Dutch Officers refer to Ryndam as "Rheeeen dohm". They don't say Rhine the way we who

have English as our first language do. :o

 

[Randyk47]

....Yet I've heard Dutch Officers refer to Ryndam as "Rheeeen dohm". They don't say Rhine the way we who

have English as our first language do. :o

 

 

The Germans pronounce it "Rhine" not "Rheen", most probably a difference between German and Dutch. Of course, then again I'm used to mostly one dialect, one of the more or less seven major branches and not the branch that is most closely related to Dutch.

[PeaceLoveCruise]

Tomato....tomahhhhhto!

Potato....potahhhhhto!

Let's just get on the Dahm Ship, Dam...it! :D

[Boytjie]

....Yet I've heard Dutch Officers refer to Ryndam as "Rheeeen dohm". They don't say Rhine the way we who

have English as our first language do. :o

 

 

Or maybe "Rain-dumb"? :)

[Typhoon1]

I've always heard them referred to as DAM ships.

[CruiseWhere]

I'm a "dohm" girl myself! :D