The Correct Pronunciation of Socrates
The name SOH-crateis
in English. The emphasis is typically on the first syllable and the SOH-cratayz.
I’ve heard it pronounced in various ways, such as sock-rat-eez, soak-rat-eez, So-crates. The last example is obviously incorrect but can the name be pronounced in either of the first two methods? No. The correct pronunciation of Socrates in English is SOH-kruh-teez.
I pronounce it as Zyooss. I always say So crates. It usually takes a nanosecond for someone to correct me if they know better.
Region by Region Pronunciation Differences
It depends. The name Socrates originates from the ancient Greek philosopher. In British English, it would be pronounced as /skrtiz/, which is SOCK-RAT-EEZ if you don’t understand IPA- international phonemic English. In American English, it might be pronounced as /sa: krtz/, which is SOH-krah-tizes.
However, the name Socrates is also a modern-day name. There have been Greek and Brazilian football players, Spanish writers, American physicians, and Mexican and Portuguese politicians who bear this name. The pronunciation of Socrates can vary widely depending on the country. The Portuguese politician and former prime minister, José Socrates, was pronounced as /uz skt/, which is JOSEI SOCK-RATS.
Quite appropriate some might say given the current corruption investigation into his apparent money laundering.
Historical and Cultural Context
The name Socrates likely transferred to English from a foreign language. Many might wonder, is this a hell name? Historically, how they pronounce names often depends on whether the name was understood or given due to a charge of treason. In cases where a name was unfamiliar and treated as a “devil’s term,” it might have been pronounced in a guttural soc-cre-tie.
Interestingly, the name was given to a man who met Plato to understand his existence as a rebel to Athens. The name's pronunciation could have been influenced by the historical context of the fall of Athens and its perception as a rebellious state.
Modern Usage and Pronunciation Methods
How do I pronounce it or how is it supposed to be pronounced? I believe it is supposed to be pronounced the way I used to pronounce it - saw-cra-tees. But after watching Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, he just said SOH-kruh-tize.
Google translate “Socrates” to Greek, and you’ll get something more like So - krah-tize. According to the Oxford pronunciation guide, it is a bit Pythonesque: Toot and kah moon vs two-tonkh-ah-moon. It reflects the varying cultural and linguistic influences in pronunciation methods.