LNWR Claughton: pronunciation?

robd

Well-known member
Ladies and gentlemen,

Recently, I've been pondering the LNWR Claughton class locos and I'm wondering as to the correct pronunciation of "Claughton":

Is it "C L A W T O N" or is it "C L A F T O N"?

Thanks in advance for your indulgence!

Rob
 
I second that. There is no logic in the English language. 'Nought' and 'Naught' is another instance of sound-alike with different spelling.

Peter
 
Since the first loco was named after Sir Gilbert Claughton, chairman of the LNWR, being upper class it would be CLAWTON.
 
Thanks for your opinions. I would go for C L A W T O N as in Charles Laughton (rhyming) but, when in the RN, I knew a person who's surname was Claughton and he insisted on C L A F T O N and despised being referred to as C L A W T O N !

In general, I suppose it could be either pronunciation but for the loco I'll settle for C L A W T O N.

Thanks,

Rob.
 
There are two villages with the spelling Claughton near Lancaster. One is pronounced Cl-aff-ton the othe Cl-eye-ton, so we have three possible choices, not two.

Robin
 
The trick is now to find a LNWR Claughton worthy of the name. The ones that are available for Trainz are old models now and have all kinds of errors.
 
An issue with the english language is that prior to the 19th century there were no "standardised" spellings. Life was centred on the locality, be it village, town or hamlet, and the great majority lived their lives without ever venturing more than a dozen miles from where they were born. Names could not just be spelt differently but could be pronounced differently over a region, let alone the country, even where the spellings coincided.

Around here we have the Redheugh bridge and the Derwenthaugh bridge. Redheugh tends to be prounoced "red-hyuff" while Derwenthaugh tends to be pronounced "derwent-hoff". Both Heugh and Haugh seem to have the same source but spellings have differed over time, even though they are less than five miles apart. Another place, Catcleugh can be "cat-cluff", "cat-clyuff" and "cat-clew", depending on who you ask.

Technically, each pronounciation of Claughton is correct for the locality in which it is found because it is the custom and practise of the place in which it is used. An extreme example of choosing how to have a particular name pronounced is the old BBC TV sitcom from the early 1990s called "Keeping Up Appearances" in which the socially pretentious Hyacinth Bouquet always (and repeatedly) insists that her name is pronounced "Boo-kay" (like a bouquet of flowers) and not "bucket" like the local usage has adopted.
 
Technically, each pronounciation of Claughton is correct for the locality in which it is found because it is the custom and practise of the place in which it is used. An extreme example of choosing how to have a particular name pronounced is the old BBC TV sitcom from the early 1990s called "Keeping Up Appearances" in which the socially pretentious Hyacinth Bouquet always (and repeatedly) insists that her name is pronounced "Boo-kay" (like a bouquet of flowers) and not "bucket" like the local usage has adopted.

I remember watching that on PBS when I was a kid. Whenever we were in the car, either my mom or dad driving, I would always imitate Hyacinth by saying, "Mind the stop sign, Mom", or "Mind the stop sign, Dad", in a fake British accent.
 
Technically, each pronounciation of Claughton is correct for the locality in which it is found because it is the custom and practise of the place in which it is used. An extreme example of choosing how to have a particular name pronounced is the old BBC TV sitcom from the early 1990s called "Keeping Up Appearances" in which the socially pretentious Hyacinth Bouquet always (and repeatedly) insists that her name is pronounced "Boo-kay" (like a bouquet of flowers) and not "bucket" like the local usage has adopted.

The character played by Patricia Routledge is Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced bouquet!

Rob.
 
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