Pronunciation tip: Vincent van Gogh

Posted on December 2, 2023 | 3 Comments

Today’s pronunciation tip comes by request (and actually I’m surprised I haven’t done it already). Many people are aware that the English pronunciation of Vincent van Gogh is quite different from the Dutch original. But how should you say it, then?

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3 responses to “Pronunciation tip: Vincent van Gogh”

azzurosky | December 3, 2023 at 1:29 am | Reply

In British English Van Goff (gh as in cough) is very common.
St@r Polselan | December 3, 2023 at 11:32 pm | Reply

Good!
But you failed to mention that many English-speakers in the UK pronounce VvG not as people in Canada/the USA and not as people in the Netherlands, but with a nod to the latter: “Vincent van Goff.” I think it is a useful compromise!
- sesquiotic | December 5, 2023 at 10:19 am | Reply
  
  Indeed, I overlooked that detail, which I should not have! Poor Vincent had a name that included the most cursed letter combination in English, gh (see https://sesquiotic.com/2015/06/09/plough-through-enough-dough-to-make-you-cough-or-hiccough/).