Menzies
Encyclopedia
Menzies is a Scottish
surname probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman
name Mesnières.
The name is historically pronounced , since the was a surrogate for the letter <> (yogh
). Today it is often given its spelling pronunciation
ˈ. A Scottish limerick
plays on the spelling–pronunciation problem:
(The second and fifth lines are pronounced as though the were a <>, making "thing is" and "sting is", to rhyme with "Menzies". "Wasp" does rhyme with "gasp" in Scots
.)
(Curiously, the American Heritage Dictionary, which lists only Robert Menzies
, gives the "incorrect" pronunciation.)
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
surname probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
name Mesnières.
The name is historically pronounced , since the
Yogh
The letter yogh , was used in Middle English and Older Scots, representing y and various velar phonemes. It was derived from the Old English form of the letter g.In Middle English writing, tailed z came to be indistinguishable from yogh....
). Today it is often given its spelling pronunciation
Spelling pronunciation
A spelling pronunciation is a pronunciation that, instead of reflecting the way the word was pronounced by previous generations of speakers, is a rendering in sound of the word's spelling.-Examples of English words with common spelling pronunciations:...
ˈ. A Scottish limerick
Limerick (poetry)
A limerick is a kind of a witty, humorous, or nonsense poem, especially one in five-line or meter with a strict rhyme scheme , which is sometimes obscene with humorous intent. The form can be found in England as of the early years of the 18th century...
plays on the spelling–pronunciation problem:
- There wis a young lassie named Menzies,
- That asked 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
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
.)
(Curiously, the American Heritage Dictionary, which lists only Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
, gives the "incorrect" pronunciation.)
As a surname
- Alex MenziesAlex MenziesAlex "Big Ming" Menzies was a Scottish professional footballer, who played for Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion amongst others.A former coal-miner, Menzies joined Cowdenbeath,his hometown club, in 1948. Menzies, a tough-tackling wing half was a member of the side that took Rangers to the brink of ...
, Scottish professional footballer - Archibald MenziesArchibald MenziesArchibald Menzies was a Scottish surgeon, botanist and naturalist.- Life and career :Menzies was born at Easter Stix in the parish of Weem, in Perthshire. While working with his elder brother William at the Royal Botanic Gardens, he drew the attention of Dr John Hope, professor of botany at...
, (1754–1842), British medic and biologist; ship's doctor and naturalist on board George Vancouver's voyage to the North Pacific - Charles Menzies (anthropologist)Charles Menzies (anthropologist)Charles R. Menzies is a Canadian anthropologist whose ancestry is with the Tsimshian people of northwestern British Columbia.He is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia...
- David MenziesDavid MenziesDavid Menzies is a Canadian freelance writer. He writes in the automotive section of the National Post. Menzies, sometimes called "The Menzoid," is also a weekly guest on CTS' The Michael Coren Show on Wednesday nights and "Adler on Line" on Corus Radio on Friday afternoons; he is also a weekly...
, Canadian freelance writer - Douglas MenziesDouglas MenziesSir Douglas Ian Menzies KBE , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.-Biography:Menzies was born in Ballarat, Victoria, in 1907. He was educated at Hobart High School and Devonport High School in Tasmania, before returning to Victoria to study at the University of Melbourne...
, a former Justice of the High Court of AustraliaHigh Court of AustraliaThe High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and... - Gavin MenziesGavin MenziesRowan Gavin Paton Menzies is a retired British submarine lieutenant-commander and author. He is best known for his controversial book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, in which he asserts that the fleets of Chinese Admiral Zheng He visited the Americas prior to European explorer...
, submarine captain, amateur Chinese historian - George MenziesGeorge MenziesGeorge Menzies is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country at three World Cups and coached New Zealand at another World Cup.-Playing career:...
, New Zealand rugby league footballer - Henry MenziesHenry MenziesHenry Fisher Menzies was a Scottish rugby player.Henry played 4 times for . His debut was on February 4, 1893 against Wales.-External links:*...
, (1867 - 1938), Scottish rugby player. - Ivan MenziesIvan MenziesJ. Ivan "Jimmy" Menzies was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the comic baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Britain in the 1920s and the J. C. Williamson Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company in Australia the 1930s and 1940s.Menzies...
, (1896–1985), singer and actor - John A. MenziesJohn A. MenziesJohn A. Menzies was appointed to the Family Division of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba in 1996. On October 7, 1998, he was appointed to that court's General Division, upon the resignation of Mr. Justice V. Simonsen. He presides in Brandon....
, a Manitoba judge - John K. MenziesJohn K. MenziesAmbassador John K. Menzies is dean of the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.Prior to appointment at the Whitehead School, Menzies served as the 16th president of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, from September 2002 to August 2006. He resigned...
, former US-Bosnian ambassador and academic - Neal MenziesNeal MenziesNeal Menzies is an Australian Professor of Soil Science at The University of Queensland. In his early adult years, he completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science in 1985, a Master of Agricultural Studies in 1987, and a PhD in 1992...
, an Australian Professor of Soil Science. - Robert Gordon Menzies, Australia's longest serving Prime Minister
- Steve Menzies, Australian rugby league player
- Stewart MenziesStewart MenziesMajor General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
, Head of British Secret Intelligence Service 1939–1952 - Tobias MenziesTobias MenziesTobias Menzies is an English stage, television, and film actor, best known for his role as Brutus in the 2005/2007 TV series Rome.-Early years:...
, actor - William Cameron MenziesWilliam Cameron MenziesWilliam Cameron Menzies was an Academy Award-winning American film production designer and art director who also worked as a director, producer, and screenwriter during a career spanning five decades...
, (1896–1957), American film director - Heather MenziesHeather MenziesHeather Urich , born December 3, 1949 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a Canadian-born actress who moved to California via Florida at the age of 11. She enrolled at the Falcon Studio’s University of the Arts, in Hollywood. Her first professional role at the age of 13 was on My Three Sons...
, actress - Gina MenziesGina MenziesGina Menzies is a frequent guest on Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the Irish national radio and television broadcaster and is described as a theologian.Her academic qualifications include a H...
, Irish media personality
As a given name
- Walter Menzies CampbellMenzies CampbellSir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...
, former leader of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom - Iain Menzies Banks, Scottish writer, penname for the CultureThe CultureThe Culture is a fictional interstellar anarchist, socialist, and utopian society created by the Scottish writer Iain M. Banks which features in a number of science fiction novels and works of short fiction by him, collectively called the Culture series....
series
See also
- Clan MenziesClan MenziesFor Menzies as a personal name, including its pronunciation and a list of famous people of that name, see Menzies.Clan Menzies ; , a member is a Mèinnearach) is a Highland Scottish clan.-Origins of the Clan:...
, Scottish clan - Menzies (disambiguation), other meanings
- MingusMingusThe name Mingus may refer to: * Charles Mingus , jazz composer and double bass player** Mingus Big Band, a modern repertory group specializing in Mingus' music** Mingus Dynasty , the original repertory group formed after Mingus' death...
, pronounced similarly