gnld Posted March 3, 2016 #1 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I, probably like most English-speaking people, saw the name of Oceania's new ship, Sirena, and assumed it was pronounced Sir-eena. But a recent email from Oceania included a video on the ship wherein it was pronounced See-rain-ah. Turns out Sirena is Spanish for mermaid (hence the ship's logo). And See-rain-ah is the Spanish pronunciation. I wonder as time goes on, which pronunciation will prevail? Regardless, we're booked on the ship in October, for my birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted March 3, 2016 #2 Share Posted March 3, 2016 We are also booked on SIRENA in October for MY birthday. I'm wondering which cruise you are on ... we leave Barcelona on October 4th. I have been calling it by the Spanish pronunciation, just because I thought that was what it should be ... have been willing to be corrected, however! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally_bushy Posted March 3, 2016 #3 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) Just off the Marina and the Oceania Club Ambassador referred to it the Spanish way when promoting future cruises Edited March 3, 2016 by wally_bushy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted March 3, 2016 #4 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I believe I posted this a couple of months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuldalai Posted March 3, 2016 #5 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Interesting us Aussies would pronounce it as Sigh Reena . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay23 Posted March 3, 2016 #6 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) I pronounced it Sigh-reena from Sirens of the sea who lured sailors into the deep. That would be the UK (English) pronunciation But then I have no knowledge of the Spanish word. J Edited March 3, 2016 by Jay23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamthesea Posted March 3, 2016 #7 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) And I have been pronouncing it Sah-Wren-a Wren, like the bird. :rolleyes: And See-rain-ah is the Spanish pronunciation. How about Sea-rain-ah. :D Easier to remember. Edited March 3, 2016 by Iamthesea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropicalkerry2002 Posted March 3, 2016 #8 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I also have been thinking it's Sigh-reena...must be a Brit/Aussie/Canadian thing! Also, we don't take Spanish in school, so wouldn't think of pronouncing it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tansy Mews Posted March 3, 2016 #9 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Not this Canadian! I assumed it was pronounced the Spanish way (not that I knew it was the Spanish way!) I don't like the reena sound and prefer the raina sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 3, 2016 #10 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Interesting us Aussies would pronounce it as Sigh Reena . me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pet Nit Noy Posted March 3, 2016 #11 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I, probably like most English-speaking people, saw the name of Oceania's new ship, Sirena, and assumed it was pronounced Sir-eena. But a recent email from Oceania included a video on the ship wherein it was pronounced See-rain-ah. At first, the English teacher in me assumed the pronunciation was Sigh-rEEn-ah after the Greek mythological sirens, but further English-teacher-type consideration decided that couldn't be right. After all, the sirens of mythology are evil creatures whose beautiful songs lure sailors to their death on the rocks or distract sailors so much that they simply walk off the decks of their ships and drown. That's hardly an allusion that a cruise line would want to encourage. The word "mermaid" in Spanish an Italian is Sirena, a much happier association if you think about the Tom Hanks/Darryl Hannah movie Splash or the animated Little Mermaid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SellaVee Posted March 3, 2016 #12 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Never mind Sirena, how do you pronounce Oceania? Only kidding :D:D:D!! (If you're new to this board it's been discussed before, at length) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AllisonJames Posted March 3, 2016 #13 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I was pronouncing sigh -- ree -- nah until I viewed an Azamara produced video and they said sa --wren -- nah. Kind of like the second better. I too thought it was after the sirens who lured Odysseus but on second thought that's probably not a great name for a ship...like the mermaid concept better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AllisonJames Posted March 3, 2016 #14 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Apologies, I meant Oceania! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedward Posted March 3, 2016 #15 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I would assume that the typical American-English pronunciation (doesn't everything need to be Americanized?) would be sigh-REE-nah, sort of like eye-TAL-yan. <tongue-in-cheek> Regards, Ned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay23 Posted March 3, 2016 #16 Share Posted March 3, 2016 The main thing is that we all know what we are talking about, however we pronounce it. Now, talking about Ocean-ia!!!!!!!!!!! J :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnld Posted March 4, 2016 Author #17 Share Posted March 4, 2016 We are also booked on SIRENA in October for MY birthday. I'm wondering which cruise you are on ... we leave Barcelona on October 4th. I have been calling it by the Spanish pronunciation, just because I thought that was what it should be ... have been willing to be corrected, however! Mura Hi, Mura. The Oct. 4th transatlantic is the one we're booked on, too. 10/6 birthday. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted March 4, 2016 #18 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Hi, Mura. The Oct. 4th transatlantic is the one we're booked on, too. 10/6 birthday. Gary Gary, I'm a day older than you are. Maybe we should have a midnight supper to jointly celebrate???? Looking forward to seeing you on board. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnld Posted March 6, 2016 Author #19 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Tonight is the last night of the last cruise for the Ocean Princess. Tomorrow (March 7th), she gets handed over to Oceania to begin her refurbishment/transformation into Sirena. Perhaps they'll be singing Auld Lang Syne onboard tonight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now