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Name Pronunciation Guide -- Pronounce the Names of People, Places, and Stuff in English
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Vladimir Nabokov
Russian-American novelist
How to pronounce Vladimir:
Phonetic Pronunciation: vlah-DEE-meer
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Origin: Russian
Notes: a common, acceptable anglicization is VLA-duh-meer
How to pronounce Nabokov:
Phonetic Pronunciation: nuh-BO-kof
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Origin: Russian
Tags: author russian
Notes: source of pronunciation-- Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation
Regarding the pronunciation of his last name, in the BBC Guide it notes-- "Although the author's surname is often pronounced nab-uh-kof, he told the BBC that this [nuh-boe-kof] was his preferred English pronunciation, with the middle syllable stressed, and rhyming with 'smoke'."
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