German Christmas cookies

December 13, 2005 | Stanz

[IslandJeff]

Sort of a rear-mouthed hissing sound. Like a hard "h" with a little bit of a soft "k".

[BreitbartSentMe]

Leb-KUH-ken

[mnehring]

You can hear it here:
http://www.answers.com/topic/lebkuchen

[Paradox]

If I recall correctly from my German language studies, it depends what part of Germany you are from, what dialect you speak. It can sound anywhere from a "ch" scraping sound inside the throat as in the work "channuka", to an "sh" sound in english. My German teacher had us pronounce it as a cross between an SH and a K.

[lysie]

Encarta's pronounciation

[BreitbartSentMe]

ok, try again, my spelling of how my co-worker pronounced it was wrong...

Leb-KOO-ken

[precedence]

My grandmother spoke "low" German, and she'd pronounce kuchken as "koo-hin".

[Cecily]

You will probably be close enough if you pronounce the "ch" the same way you say "loch" (as in Loch Ness).

[fortunecookie]

Mmmmm, they sound yummy. I live near a population of Germans whose ancestors settled the area over a hundred years ago. I believe lebkuchen is pronounced 'leb-koo-ken' by them, but I found a link on dictionary.com with a pronunciation for lebkuchen so you can be more precise. ;-)

[PAR35]

Bookmarking so I can come back later with an authentic pronunciation.

[End Times Sentinel]

I didn't read the post, but I think he's asking for your cookie recipe.

Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

[pogo101]

Like the "ch" in "Loch Ness."

[exile]

Actually, German cookies are correctly pronounced "Krauts Ahoy"....Rimshot.

(Sorry, lousy joke, but I couldn't resist)

[stanz]

Thank you all. Will keep the reference info on file for future inquiries.
Figuring that English is so close to German, I thought it would have sounded like the "ch" in kitchen. So many regional differences, too.
Danke

[Shery]

Some pronounce it with a "k" sound, but it's more correctly pronounced as if you are saying the "k", but leaving it open, with some air passing through the back of your mouth mouth at the crest of the tongue. It's almost like you're saying "hen" with a hard "h".

I hope this helps.

[YummiBox]

I listened to Encarta's version - it's not accurate.

One way to make the "ch" sound (German was my first language) would be first to try and gurgle without a liquid. Next, bring that noise out of your throat and more into the back of your mouth so that it smooths out. Put that "noise" into Leb-Koo-(noise)-en

I hope that makes sense.

[stanz]

Many thanks. I don't personally like gingerbread, but needed to make a gift of it to a home-sick friend.

[stanz]

Krauts Ahoy...hmmmmm

[stanz]

Makes sense. Easier to day Gingerbread IMHO! Thanks.