Mike and I were at Smash on Friday night for a post-IDS party when we spotted an awesome set of vintage Thonet chairs, below ($275 each). We talked to sales assistant Dana about them and like many people she very purposefully pronounced the manufacturer’s name “tdone-AY”. This initiated a discussion about the correct pronunciation of Thonet, a German name that is usually mistaken for French and pronounced accordingly.
It’s a debate that comes up a lot and since I hate to embarrass myself by mispronouncing something, I’ve done some research on the matter . . .
Apartment Therapy reader Harley says he emailed the company and got a response from Anke Thonet, herself. According to Harley, “Anke says that the correct pronunciation rhymes with LAWN-at, the ‘h’ being silent.” My research also unearthed this dandy little audio file on a site called Pronounce It Right, where a voice actually says the word and yes, the speaker confirms Anke’s pronunciation of her name.
So, from now on you’ll pronounce Thonet correctly and the people you’re talking to will assume you’re mispronouncing it. But you’ll know better.
Pictured above are variations on Michael Thonet‘s most famous design, the 1855 bentwood chair, widely agreed to be the first modernist chair. It is also said to be the most-produced chair in history. The Smash chairs would work fantastically well with the little wooden side tables featured in yesterday’s post about Red Indian Art Deco.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
OK, that Pronounce it Right feature is THE BEST!!!It is the funniest thing since all the Beyonce/Obama silliness…
February 11th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Useful factoid. Thanks.