Student Question

What is the correct pronunciation of "Antonia" in the novel My Antonia?

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The correct pronunciation of "Antonia" in the novel My Antonia is "An'-ton-ee-ah," with the first syllable strongly accented, similar to the English name "Anthony," and the "i" pronounced as a long "e."

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In my copy, there is a footnote on the first page in Chapter 1 which explains how the name is pronounced. It reads as follows:

"The Bohemian name Antonia is strongly accented on the first syllable, like the English name Anthony, and the i is, of course, given the sound of long e. The name is pronounced An'-ton-ee-ah."

*Cather, Willa. My Antonia. 2004. New York: Simon & Schuster.

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