Author Topic: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"  (Read 7121 times)

Offline Roger B

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Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« on: February 20, 2012, 03:57:22 AM »
A gentleman showed up at a shoot yesterday with an original rifle he had just bought.  It was made with a clearly marked Leman lock, but was signed by another maker with his name engraved in the barrel.  He and a local "expert" proclaimed that he had a Leman trade rifle.  When I suggested that perhaps the gun was made by the guy who signed the barrel. but had a readily available Leman lock, or was made up of various parts,  I was patiently but firmly told I probably didn't know my posterior from a hole in the ground.  I was also told I was mispronouncing Henry Eicholtz's last name.  When last I checked, conventional wisdom had it as "Lee men", however I was told it was "Lemon".  Since you can fine bits of wisdom in really strange places, I thought I would ask you guys.  Which is it; Lee (jeans for) men, or sour fruit?
Roger B.
Never underestimate the sheer destructive power of a minimally skilled, but highly motivated man with tools.

Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2012, 04:19:20 AM »
There's 1 in every crowd and apparently 2 in this 1.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

Offline jdm

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2012, 04:22:16 AM »
Roger, Don't know about your posterior but you were talking to TWO LEMONS.
JIM

Offline B Shipman

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2012, 08:26:40 AM »
The "e" is pronounced as a long "a"= ayyy. The people you were talking to are self proclaimed experts that do not know their elbow from a hot rock. Like the old "expert" that inhabits shows and tells everone that the curl was produced by burning oil soaked string. How many times have I heard that.  I just nod.

Offline Majorjoel

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2012, 03:28:59 PM »
Hi Roger, I remember once meeting someone who called Leman Lemon. It was someone of authority but I can't recall who it was!!!? As for the rest of your encounter calling a rifles maker by the name on the lockplate and ignoring the barrel signature........horse hockey!
Joel Hall

Dogshirt

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2012, 06:10:14 PM »
I don't know the proper pronunciation, but I do know that the world is full of people
that make up their minds about things without all the facts ("Facts? We don' need no stinkin' facts!")
Perhaps we are all guilty of this to some degree, but the ones I refer to are the ones that perpetuate
false or misinformation in the face of all facts to the contrary. These are the folks that don't want to be wrong and no amount of information to the contrary can or will change their minds.
Remember, the sun revolves around the earth! ;)
« Last Edit: February 20, 2012, 06:10:46 PM by Dogshirt »

Bill

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2012, 06:42:20 PM »
At least you know two people whom you WON'T invite to your next cookout at home! :)
For what it's worth, Dr. Hansen  of the Fur Trade Museum  corrected my pronunciation of Leman, and (patiently) explained to me it was LEEMUN. I've kind of held to his pronunciation ever since. :)
He was much more pleasant about than your "experts".

Offline JTR

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2012, 08:10:06 PM »
Roger B,
Well, maybe the experts were a couple a good ol southern boys?
I work with some of these guys sometimes, and I know they think their speaking english, but the way they pronounce some of the words,,, well,,,, might as well be greek to me!  ;D

No offence to any of the good ol southern boys that might be hanging out here! ;D

Although they still loose their "Expert" rating for ignoring the name on the barrel!

John

John Robbins

Offline Lucky R A

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2012, 09:16:27 PM »
   I guess it depends on which side of the Mississippi river you are pronouncing it, back east here where the gun was built it is pronounced as if the e was an a (Lay Man).   
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mkeen

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2012, 09:31:38 PM »
What a tempest in a teapot! In Lancaster PA the name is pronounced as Laymen or Lemon. The pronunciation depends on the family, although Laymen is the most common. Sorry but in this area it is not pronounced as Leemen. That's the defunct financial services firm-Lehman Brothers.

Martin Keen
« Last Edit: February 20, 2012, 09:35:24 PM by mkeen »

Paul E. Wog

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2012, 07:46:05 AM »
All of my Deutsch sprechend friends tell me it is Layman  :-\ .
As for the " EXPERTS ", Grandpa always told me an " EX " was a has-been, and a " SPURT " was just a drip under pressure ??? ::)
                           Denny Shreckengost...often misspelled and mispronounced ;D

Offline Roger B

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2012, 05:04:48 PM »
See!  I learn something every day!  Neither of us were right.  Now I can be an expert and correct people when they say "Lee men" ;D.  I done gradiated from the 6th grade.  Wanna hear me cipher and do my gazintas?  Those of you who never watched The Beverly Hillbillys won't understand that last.
Roger B.
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Offline T*O*F

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2012, 05:27:23 PM »
Quote
Now I can be an expert and correct people when they say "Lee men"
Not necessarily.  It's a matter of speed and intonation.  If you say Lay men fast, it comes out Lee men.

In various parts of the country, people talk so slow that you can go get a haircut while they're talking and be back in time to hear them finish saying what you knew they were going to say before you left.
Dave Kanger

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Dogshirt

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2012, 06:08:22 PM »
See!  I learn something every day!  Neither of us were right.  Now I can be an expert and correct people when they say "Lee men" ;D.  I done gradiated from the 6th grade.  Wanna hear me cipher and do my gazintas?  Those of you who never watched The Beverly Hillbillys won't understand that last.
Roger B.

Ya gonna be a brain surgeon or a double noght spy? ;D

Offline Robby

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2012, 07:36:22 PM »
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leman
It even has an audio pronunciation of the word.
Robby
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Offline Curt J

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #15 on: February 27, 2012, 05:02:32 AM »
And the audio pronounces it "lee-mun", so maybe the way I've always pronounced it is right after all.

mkeen

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Re: Correct pronunciation of "Leman"
« Reply #16 on: February 27, 2012, 08:27:48 PM »
Well I guess you can pronounce it any way you want. Being a descendant of the Leamans, we always pronounce it Layman here in Lancaster, PA. Henry Leman's father changed their spelling from Leaman to Leman. The most common spellings are Lehman and Leaman in this area. Many pronunciations depend on the location. The natives of Lancaster, PA always pronounce Lancaster as Lank-aster, while outside the area it is pronounced Lan-caster. You can always tell an outsider by how they pronounce it. Maybe I'll walk a block south of my office and see if I channel the ghost of Henry Leman at Melchoir Fordney's home and workshop and ask him how he pronounced it.

Martin Keen