How do you pronounce this?

This gorgeous shrub flowers every year at this time,I have always called it Japonica,but I think it should be Chaenomeles.How should you pronounce it?

 

We know them as Quince Roders,lovely colour and a lovely sharp picture

 

I've always heard it pronounced "Kai-nomma-lees". The "ch" would be a "k" sound as it comes from Greek. The "ae" is pronounced like "eye". My "Manual of Plant Names" says it comes from "chaino" meaning "I gape", and "meles", an apple.
It also says "application obscure", which I think means they can't work out how on earth they came up with the name!!! (And if we're into weird names, the book I consulted was written by C. Chicheley Plowden!!!!)

Hope this helps!

 

It's also called Japanese Flowering Quince and related to the fruiting Cydonia.

Fantastic picture. I had one many years ago, mid 80s I think.

I believe it's pronounced "shay-no-mel-es(h)".

 

I prefer Quince,less of a mouthful,but then I am a simple person anyway :D

 

Thank you so much Kandy,LoL,Woo and specialy Hyla for sorting out my little problem.

 

'Shay.no.me.lay' as I say!... :confused: I agree Kandy..Quince is a safe bet. :D

 

Just an update.... I've checked various authorities and they differ over the "ae" dipthong. Some say "ee" - based on Latin plurals - so the thrush family are the "turdidae" pronounced "ter-did-ee", but others say no, this is Greek pronounced like Latin, and it's wrong. The "ae" should be like the "y" in "try" if the word comes from Greek.... so you pays yer money and takes yer choice!!! Looks like we could nearly all be right. (The "ch" is still a "k" though - they all agree on that!)

 

Phew!..thank goodness that's cleared up... I see someone is asking what to plant in their kimney pot..I reckon some kives for seasoning :D

 

Well, there you go, my dearest ... you did ask ...

Pal and I are pretty close (perhaps I'm adding a Portuguese touch) so we could join forces ... :D

 

H-A is right - I did greek at school - believe me! :rolleyes:

But quince is a heck of a lot easier!

 

Does a Scottish accent make things any easier???? :D

 

Massively so! :D

Should I add that my Dad was a Latin and Greek teacher, so I grew up with Scottish accented classics all around? :D

 

If I cant pronounce it I dont grow it.


There's lots of plants I dont grow :D :D
And thats one of them.