Why do Americans say Lara's name wrong?

[Fuzz]

When I watch Tomb Raider videos on Youtube or even read forum posts here, Americans always call her Laura/Lora or Larra, as in Larry.

Why? Her name is Lara.

[GrimAquatic]

İlk olarak Hagrid tarafından gönderildi:

Here in America, it's pronounced "Lor-ra"

How the hell do you turn [a:] into [o]? Do you also pronounce "car" or "bar" as [koɹ] and [boɹ] correspondingly?

[Can'tTouchThis]

İlk olarak Hagrid tarafından gönderildi:

If you ever visit America and pronounce it like you're saying "Lah-ra", people will have the exact same reaction that you're having right now. Here in America, it's pronounced "Lor-ra", which, to me, rolls off the tongue A LOT easier than the way you guys pronounce it. But it'll always be that way and there's not really anything you can do about about. P.S. Lara is not a common name here in the U.S., unlike Laura, which is very common, and so that's where most of the "confusion" comes from.

Lara and Laura are not the same name though.... ^^

[Can'tTouchThis]

İlk olarak GrimAquatic tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Hagrid tarafından gönderildi:

Here in America, it's pronounced "Lor-ra"

How the hell do you turn [a:] into [o]? Do you also pronounce "car" or "bar" as [koɹ] and [boɹ] correspondingly?

Ye, they must pronounce Bar as Boar.... they go to wild pigs for drinks.

[Peasantt]

İlk olarak ThatRandomGuy tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Hagrid tarafından gönderildi:

If you ever visit America and pronounce it like you're saying "Lah-ra", people will have the exact same reaction that you're having right now. Here in America, it's pronounced "Lor-ra", which, to me, rolls off the tongue A LOT easier than the way you guys pronounce it. But it'll always be that way and there's not really anything you can do about about. P.S. Lara is not a common name here in the U.S., unlike Laura, which is very common, and so that's where most of the "confusion" comes from.

Lara and Laura are not the same name though.... ^^

I've never heard the name Lara outside of Tomb Raider in my life, but I still say Lara because I can actually comprehend this 4 letter word, and recognise that it does in fact not say "Laura".

[Peasantt]

Rolls of the tongue lol ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ I refuse to believe Americans can't say the word "La" followed quickly by the word "Ra".

[Dellicious]

AGREED WITH THIS DUDE ^

IT'S LARA

[GrimAquatic]

İlk olarak MOF Peasant tarafından gönderildi:

I've never heard the name Lara outside of Tomb Raider in my life

Lara Flynn Boyle[en.wikipedia.org].
Lara Fabian[en.wikipedia.org].
Larissa "Lara" Antipova[en.wikipedia.org].

The latter supposedly introduced name Lara into English.

[FreeToaster]

İlk olarak GrimAquatic tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak MOF Peasant tarafından gönderildi:

I've never heard the name Lara outside of Tomb Raider in my life

Lara Flynn Boyle[en.wikipedia.org].
Lara Fabian[en.wikipedia.org].
Larissa "Lara" Antipova[en.wikipedia.org].

The latter supposedly introduced name Lara into English.

None of those people are really well known in America. Lara Flynn Boyle would probably be the most well known and I'm willing to bet the majority of people only know her by face or what movies she has done and not by name.

He wasnt denying the existance of people with the name Lara, he was just claiming he's never heard it outside out TR and thats quite likely for the majority of people. Especially for the type of people that would be playing the game to begin with.

You guys keep trying to make this an American issue when its not. Have Americans pronounced it wrong? Of course. At least 2 or 3 that we know of thanks to the OP and aside from some random comments about people mentioning they say it wrong thats really all we have to go on here. Not exactly concrete evidence that Americans can't pronounce a name.

As an American I have no idea why these people would pronounce it wrong. If you guys really want to figure this mystery out you'll have to contact all 5 people that we know can't and ask them personally. Nobody else can speak for them. Maybe Angry joe had a piano dropped on his head as a child or he ate too many paint chips. There's no way of knowing. Although from watching his videos we can assume some form of brain damage.

There is NO answer to the original question because this is clearly an isolated issue that does not relfect on any one population as a whole.

[GrimAquatic]

İlk olarak FreeToaster tarafından gönderildi:

Have Americans pronounced it wrong? Of course.

I know a couple more youtubers and Conan O'Brien.

As for people named Lara I mentioned, surely people should know Twin Peaks and Men in Black II, and Lara Fabian sang this:
http://youtu.be/gm66NIJPcFg

The most mysterious thing about this is that the can't pronounce the name even though it is spelled correctly in the game and is not some flamboyant fantasy make-believe dark elven princess name.

[FreeToaster]

İlk olarak GrimAquatic tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak FreeToaster tarafından gönderildi:

Have Americans pronounced it wrong? Of course.

I know a couple more youtubers and Conan O'Brien.

As for people named Lara I mentioned, surely people should know Twin Peaks and Men in Black II, and Lara Fabian sang this:
http://youtu.be/gm66NIJPcFg

The most mysterious thing about this is that the can't pronounce the name even though it is spelled correctly in the game and is not some flamboyant fantasy make-believe dark elven princess name.

First off, I'm not arguing the fact that theres no reason people shouldnt be able to pronounce her name. I can understand how people might pronounce it wrong depending on how they pronounce the first A, but past that there's no excuse. As far as the reviewers getting it wrong... I have no idea, But I'm not here to defend them.

My only issue here is the fact that this thread is aimed soley at Americans and full of "Americans are stupid" comments. Which don't get me wrong.. we have more than our share of stupid in this country but in the context of this thread its just predjudice towards America.

As proof of anything, even if we had 20 rock solid instances of people pronouncing it wrong.... 320,000,000. thats how many Americans there are. We would need much higher numbers to make any informed statements. If this was a school project this would be a failing grade.

[malfunction]

tomato/tomato

[Fuzz]

İlk olarak 0o tarafından gönderildi:

tomato/tomato

No.

[Panic Fire]

İlk olarak Fuzz tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak 0o tarafından gönderildi:

tomato/tomato

No.

Phrase

tomato tomato

(idiomatic) Used to dismiss a correction to one's adherence to an alternative standard
(idiomatic) Used to dismissively suggest that something is a distinction without a difference


For more fun

http://www.behindthename.com/name/lara-1
http://www.behindthename.com/name/lara-2
http://www.behindthename.com/name/la10ra

A brief run down.

Lara is can trace its history to several differnt cultures.

In Greek it was a girls name to represent cheerful.

It can also trace its roots to Iceland where it was another form of Laura.

It can also trace its origin to Scotland and Spain.

Infact funny enough Lara, has differnt ways of saying it. Wierd. Almost as if there are differnt ways of saying it.

Fact is Lara is not actually a british name or even an English name. But what ever.

[GrimAquatic]

İlk olarak Panic Fire tarafından gönderildi:

Fact is Lara is not actually a british name or even an English name.

And that changes things how exactly?

[Can'tTouchThis]

İlk olarak GrimAquatic tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak Panic Fire tarafından gönderildi:

Fact is Lara is not actually a british name or even an English name.

And that changes things how exactly?

Pretty sure some american said it was a british/english name waaaay back somewhere in this discussion, i cant be bothered to go back and look.