Menzies

Menzies is a Scottish surname. It is probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman name Mesnières from the town of Mesnières-en-Bray in Normandy.[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

The name is traditionally pronounced — and still is in Scotland — /ˈmɪŋɪs/ (listen) MING-iss, since the English letter ⟨z⟩ was used as a substitute for the now obsolete English letter ⟨ȝ⟩ (yogh) in the Scots language (Menȝies). However, many now do not know this, and today it is often pronounced as if it were an English word and hence is often mispronounced /ˈmɛnziːz/ MEN-zeez. A Scottish limerick plays on the traditional pronunciation:

There wis a young lassie named Menzies,
That askit her aunt whit this thenzies.
Said her aunt wi a gasp,
"Ma dear, it's a wasp,
An you're haudin the end whaur the stenzies!"

The second and fifth lines are pronounced as though the <z> were a <ȝ>, making "thing is" and "sting is", to rhyme with "Menzies". "Wasp" rhymes with "gasp" in Scots.

As a surname

As a given name
  • Walter Menzies Campbell, former leader of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom
  • Iain Menzies Banks, Scottish writer, penname used for his science fiction works.

As a place name

Antarctica

Australia
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See also

References
  1. David Hey, Clan Menzies website
  2. BBC Alba - Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh (554)
  3. Family names and family history, pp 37-38
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